Woman's funeral held without her

THE FAMILY of an elderly woman is suing a funeral home for failing to bring her body to her funeral.

Marie-Louise Malca had wanted to be buried at Villenave-d'Ornon in the Gironde next to her husband.

However undertakers took so long to transport the body from the care home in Bayonne where she died, that the service went ahead without her.

The funeral directors delayed the placement of the body in the coffin by 16 hours, but with the ceremony already arranged the family had to proceed.

The family, who told Sud Ouest newspaper that they have received no explanations from the undertakers, has since appointed a lawyer and are suing for compensation.

When contacted by Sud Ouest the funeral directors said that there had been a mistake but added that this type of problem was rare.