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Two people have been bailed as officers removed 35 bodies and a quantity of ashes from a funeral director in Hull, police have said.
The bodies and ashes were taken from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Hessle Road to another mortuary.
A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman were arrested after reports of “concern for care of the deceased”.
At a press conference, Humberside Police said it had received more than 1,000 phone calls from the public.
It also said specialist and forensic teams were searching at “business premises linked to the suspects”.
The pair were in custody on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position.
But they have since been released while a police inquiry continues.
Officers cordoned off three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors sites after the force received a report on Wednesday of concerns “in relation to the storage and management and processes of the deceased people within those premises”.
However, cordons have since been lifted from all three premises in Hessle Road and Anlaby Road in Hull, and Beckside in Beverley.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Assistant Chief Constable Thom McLoughlin said: “I can confirm at this stage that between Friday morning on 8th of March and the evening of Saturday 9th of March we have recovered a total of 35 deceased who have now been respectfully transported to the mortuary in Hull and formal identification procedures are now taking place.
“In addition, we have also recovered a quantity of what we suspect to be human ashes.
“We are in the process of carefully recovering all of those ashes and taking those to the mortuary.”
He said the investigation was “at a critical point” with more than 120 officers and police staff, some from other areas of the country, working on the case.
Deputy Chief Constable David Marshall told the press conference it was “an extremely complex and sensitive investigation with heartbroken families at the core of it” and expressed his “sincere and deepest sympathy to the families of those affected and anybody else affected by the reports”.
“We are continuing to support the families involved through this extremely difficult and distressing time,” he said.
“This has been a truly horrific incident and understandably they are distraught and have many questions to be answered.
“I want to reassure them and the wider public that we are doing everything we can to give them that reassurance and the answers to the questions they desperately want.”
He said many were shocked, horrified and “re-traumatised through grief” as the incident came to light.
The assistant chief constable said the force’s dedicated helpline numbers remained open, having had more than a thousand phone calls since Friday.
“I would like to take this opportunity to speak directly to the families and loved ones affected by this truly terrible set of circumstances,” said Mr McLoughlin.
“My heart goes out to you all and I can only imagine how distressing this is and how upsetting it will be for you and your families.”
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