Hull vigil held nearly four weeks since funeral directors inquiry began

Bereaved families have been left "heartbroken" and "speechless" by a police inquiry into a Hull funeral directors, people attending a vigil said.

About 30 people attended the vigil at Pickering Park on Thursday evening to support those affected, nearly four weeks after a major investigation began into Legacy Independent Funeral Directors.

Thirty-five single red roses were laid out beneath a band-stand with cards attached reading "for a loved one".

They were placed alongside tealight candles arranged in the "35" figure, representing the number of bodies recovered from the firm last month, along with a quantity of ashes.

Among those in attendance was Michaela, who told the BBC her relative's remains were found at Legacy.

"I'm a bit speechless with all this," she said.

"There's no way to understand what's gone on and that is the hardest part."

She said coming together had meant a lot to her and her family.

"I wanted people to know we are not alone with this.

"We are going to fight this. We just want answers and justice."

The vigil was organised by Karen Dry, who used Legacy for the cremation of her parents in 2016 and 2019.

She said affected families were "in total shock, horror. They're devastated".

"I wanted people to know we're supporting each other through this absolute travesty," she said.

"It's been really upsetting.

"You think you've done best by your loved ones, given them a decent send off, and then you find out this.

"It literally reduces you to tears to actually see somebody so broken about what's going on. I was in tears."

Some at the vigil told the BBC they had come on behalf of friends or loved ones directly affected by the investigation who were too upset to attend themselves.

Others had arrived because they had been moved by the news.

Geoff and his wife used Legacy to arrange their son's cremation but they do not know whether they have been affected.

"You feel for them all. We have come up for a friend who is so heartbroken they can't leave the house," he said.

Ms Dry said it was "utterly shocking" and also called for the city's football and rugby teams to hold a minute's silence "to show some support for these families".

She said many people who had used Legacy over the years were questioning "every aspect of the care of their loved ones: the funeral, the service, the cremation, the burial".

Humberside Police began investigating the firm on 6 March following "concern for the storage and management processes relating to care of the deceased" at its premises on Hessle Road.

At a press conference earlier on Thursday, the force said it was not possible to identify any of the cremated ashes because "the DNA will have been broken down and degraded" due to the high temperature during the cremation process.

Experts have concluded it would not be possible "to recover a meaningful DNA profile", chiefs said.

Both Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council are supporting affected families.

A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, who were arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position, remain on police bail.

Victim Support has set up a helpline - 0808 281 1136 - for anyone affected by the investigation.

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