BODIES were stored on trestle tables and slabs in Warrington Hospital's mortuary during Christmas and New Year. Managers say this was a temporary measure and the situation is now back to normal, but it was confirmed that there were problems with overcrowding over the holiday period.

As reported in Friday's GUARDIAN, the town's funeral directors have also been overwhelmed by demand and families are waiting up to three weeks to bury their relatives. The winter months and outbreak of flu are being blamed for the increased pressures on services.

A spokeswoman said: "The mortuary at Warrington Hospital has a capacity for 48 bodies and in normal circumstances this is more than adequate.

"However, owing to the heavy pressure on emergency services over the Bank Holiday, it became necessary to accommodate a greater number than is usually the case for a brief period of time. All due respect and dignity was accorded to bodies at all times."

The problems have been repeated all over the country with one hospital in Norwich even hiring a refrigerated lorry to store its dead, but Warrington Hospital stressed that this had not happened here.

"At no time was it considered necessary or appropriate to use a refrigerated vehicle for the storage of bodies," added the spokeswoman.

And Gillian Heaton, Director of Nursing and Operational Services, said: "I would like to pay tribute to our staff who have worked tremendously hard to ensure patients continue to receive the highest standards of care possible in extremely difficult circumstances."

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