A ‘DISGUSTING’ couple who stole funeral wreaths that were left outside a crematorium have been fined just £35.

The pair took seven floral tributes from outside Burnley Crematorium in Accrington Road and put them in their car before driving off.

Richard Boyd, 55, and Alan Mayor, 41, of Palm Street, Blackburn, were stopped trying to flee after witnesses called police.

At Burnley Magistrates Court, both admitted the theft, which took place on June 19 around 5.50pm, after a day of services at the crematorium.

The pair, who are both on benefits, were each fined £35, with a £15 victim surcharge and Boyd was ordered to pay £50 costs.

They ‘apologised profusely’ in court for the thefts and said they needed the flowers to take to the funeral of Mayor’s father, which was the following day.

It comes after the Lancashire Telegraph yesterday revealed that a former Colne man is under investigation for allegedly stealing gold fillings from the ashes of the dead.

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle slammed the wreath thieves. He said: “Their behaviour was disgusting. It doesn’t matter where the flowers were left, inside the crematorium or on a grave, this is wrong.

“Who do these people think they are?

“When a person dies and their family and friends want to leave a floral tribute, it’s a very personal thing. To have them stolen is terrible.”

A police spokesperson said: “This was appalling and heartless crime which has been very upsetting for the families involved.”

Magistrates bench chairman Irene Divine told the pair the case was aggravated by the number of wreaths taken. She said it seemed ‘rather odd’ several were taken if they were going to use them elsewhere.

Mrs Divine said: “I find it quite offensive that you felt that you could go in a crematorium and remove flowers that had been left there for people who had been cremated that day and I wonder how either of you would have felt if the reverse had happened and somebody had done that at the funeral in Lancaster."

Mrs Divine told the defendants their actions could potentially have caused distress to mourners who might have found out the pair had taken the wreaths.

She said: “Whether they are on a grave or not, to me, is irrelevant.”

Andrew Robinson, prosecuting, said the wreaths were left outside the crematorium on banking after funeral services held that day.

Police received a report and an officer went to the crematorium. As he arrived, a Toyota was driving away. It was stopped and the wreaths were recovered. Six wreaths were in the boot and another was on the back seat.

The prosecutor told the court Boyd said he was just moving the wreaths and he didn't think he had done anything wrong.

The wreaths were all returned to the place where they had been left.

Mr Robinson said the value of the flowers was not known, but added: ‘I know funeral wreaths can be very expensive.’ Graeme Parkinson, defending Boyd and Mayor, said: “Has anybody actually been upset and distressed by the offence? Probably not. But there was potential for causing some distress.”

Mayor's father had died, the court heard, and there was a funeral the day after in Lancaster. The two of them had ordered flowers which they were due to pick up that evening. They had got stuck in traffic and missed the closing time at the florist.

Mr Parkinson said they came up with the ‘brainless’ idea to take the wreaths. They accepted it was stupid.

He said: “Mr Mayor obviously wasn't thinking straight because of the death of his father and Mr Boyd went along with it, but between the two of them, they should have thought better."

Mr Parkinson said both men made admissions to the police. Mayor had no previous convictions for dishonesty.

Mr Parkinson said Boyd was in very poor health and had signed himself out of hospital against medical advice to attend court.

He said: “They do both apologise. They do both appreciate the stupidity of this offence and they wish to apologise profusely for their actions on that day.”

Christopher Allen, 53, who was visiting a friend’s grave at the crematorium yesterday, said: “It is unbelievable that people would stoop so low, have they not got any respect?”