THIEVES stole a hearse from a Bury undertakers - with the body of a local woman still in the back.

The Mercedes van, which is used to pick up bodies from houses or hospitals, was missing for 12 hours.

It had been left unattended and with the keys in the ignition at the rear of Fred Hamers Funeral Service in Walmersley Road.

The vehicle and the coffin of Mrs Anne Elizabeth Hamer were reported missing at 4.20pm on Monday. A force-wide police alert was sent out. It was feared the van could be abandoned and set on fire by the thief.

But police found the Mercedes intact - abandoned in Deal Street, Bury, at 5.45am on Monday.

Thieves later posted the keys and a note saying "sorry" through the letterbox of the funeral director's.

Mrs Hamer, a widow and grandmother of Bevis Green, Bury, passed away peacefully in Hope Hospital on April April 21. She had two sons, Andy and Tim.

Her funeral will be held as planned on Thursday at Christ Church, Walmersley, followed by committal at Rochdale Crematorium.

She would have celebrated her 70th birthday on Monday.

Mrs Hamer is not related to anyone at Hamers Funeral Service.

A spokesman at the undertaker's said: "The police are continuing their investigations into the incident and no disruption to the funeral arrangements have been caused."

A Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman added: "Police were informed of the theft of a silver Mercedes van from outside a business premises. At the time of the theft the vehicle contained a coffin which has now been recovered."