Dad's ashes go missing at parlour

Mick Sumner had asked Steven Poole, of Steven Poole Funerals, based in Plungington Road, Preston, to take care of the funeral arrangements after his father George died last year.

The family had decided to have his ashes placed at St Michael's Church in Ashton, but when they went to collect the urn from the undertakers they discovered Mr Poole's shop was closed - and there was no sign of the ashes.

Staff at Preston Crematorium told the family Steven Poole had picked up the ashes after the funeral in November.

They have not had dealings with the undertaker for at least two months.

The family told Mr Poole to pick up the ashes, on the understanding they could collect them in March to bury in St Michael's before what would have been George's 50th wedding anniversary.

But after spending two months searching for Mr Hoole, the family now fears that they will never be able to lay George to rest.

Mick, 40, of De Lacey Street, Ashton, said: "The whole situation has devastated our family and made my mother ill.

"We have tried everything to contact him but no-one seems to know where he has gone. We can't understand why this has happened.

"It is like we can't lay our father to rest." The Citizen has been unable to contact Steven Poole. His showroom has been emptied.

Mick says one woman was distraught after being told she had been given the wrong set of ashes. Now she can't have the real remains - because Steven Poole is the only man who knows where they are.

Other funeral directors in Preston say they have not heard from Mr Poole for several weeks, while Preston Police say he is not on the Missing Persons Register.

Mick added: "We trusted this man to care for the arrangements and then he just vanishes. All we want is our our father's ashes so we can put them in the graveyard."

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