A WOMAN whose husband has died in an horrific car crash in South Africa says he will be given a pauper's funeral because she cannot afford to fly out and organise his cremation.

Aileen Welsh, of Ravenglass Close, Blackburn, was told only yesterday that her husband Victor, 50, died in a car crash near Richard's Bay in Natal province a week ago.

Mr Welsh, a maintenance engineer, was due to join his wife in their new Blackburn home once paperwork formalities had been completed.

His body was so badly mutilated in the crash that it took a week before he was identified. Unless Mrs Welsh can go out to Africa and authorise the release of her husband's private funeral fund, he will be given a state funeral.

Now Mrs Welsh, who was born in South Africa and moved to Accrington when she was 12, has been told that she will get no help in paying for her flight because she holds a British passport. "I'm so angry. I applied for a South African passport but I was told there was no need and it was better to have a British one. My husband had a funeral plan paid for but I am the only person who can release of that money.

"My friends and I have called all the authorities and the British Consulate but no one seems able to help me."

The couple, who met in 1996 while Mrs Welsh was visiting the country, married nine months ago. Mrs Welsh, 30, a nursing care worker, returned to East Lancashire where she secured a council house. She had even arranged for her husband to have a job interview at Noblet Plant Hire, Blackburn, once he reached Britain.

Mrs Welsh, who has two children from a previous relationship, said: "Victor was someone who loved the beach and loved surfing. I know he would want his ashes scattered at sea and I am damned if I am letting the South African authorities give him a pauper's funeral and send me the ashes."

Mrs Welsh's MP, Home Secretary Jack Straw, has taken up her case. A spokesman for Mr Straw's constituency office said the Home Secretary was sympathetic to Mrs Welsh's plight but he had done all he could to help her.

Anyone who can help her to get to South Africa should ring 01254 680772."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.