Dead too big for furnaces
Bodies from the West Midlands are having to be sent to a crematorium in London - because they are too fat to fit into furnaces here.Bodies from the West Midlands are having to be sent to a crematorium in London - because they are too fat to fit into furnaces here. Crematoria are struggling to cope with "stouter clients", and councils in the region are having to send them to those with larger furnaces that can fit 44-inch coffins. The Local Government Association, which represents 400 councils in England and Wales, said many authorities were widening their furnaces to combat the problem, but in some cases coffins had to be transported to crematoriums which could accommodate them. Lewisham Council in South London, which has installed a 44-inch cremator from America, regularly takes coffins from the West Midlands. Standard coffins range from 16-20ins, but 44ins ones can be ordered to fit larger bodies. Read the full story in the Express & Star
Crematoria are struggling to cope with "stouter clients", and councils in the region are having to send them to those with larger furnaces that can fit 44-inch coffins.
The Local Government Association, which represents 400 councils in England and Wales, said many authorities were widening their furnaces to combat the problem, but in some cases coffins had to be transported to crematoriums which could accommodate them.
Lewisham Council in South London, which has installed a 44-inch cremator from America, regularly takes coffins from the West Midlands. Standard coffins range from 16-20ins, but 44ins ones can be ordered to fit larger bodies.Extra-large crematorium furnaces are set to be installed in Wolverhampton, Dudley and Stourbridge over the next few years.
Tim Clark, spokesman for Wolverhampton City Council, which runs Bushbury Crematorium, said: "When we next replace our four cremators, which will be over the next few years, one of them will be a bigger one.
"At present the nearest crematorium with an extra-large cremator is in Watford."
LGA spokeswoman Councillor Hazel Harding said: "As long as the nation keeps on piling on the pounds, pressure will continue to be placed on crematoriums.
"This is just another demonstration of how the UK's obesity problem is putting a real strain on public services."
Councillor Harding said: "As waistlines keep on expanding we can expect more and more councils to provide larger furnaces."
Tim Morris, chief executive of the Institute of Cemetery & Crematorium Management said: "The institute has received calls from funeral directors from all parts of the country whose local crematorium is unable to cremate large coffins."
By John Hipwood and Becky Sharpe
