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Crisis response teams described the conditions uncovered at Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull as an “unforgivable scene of entirely human making.” Kevin Curreri, managing director of Kenyon Emergency Services, led the six-person team deployed to address the shocking discoveries at the funeral home operated by convicted undertaker Robert Bush. Authorities found that Bush had amassed dozens of bodies and over half a tonne of human ashes, with investigations revealing that some families were given the wrong ashes while their loved ones’ remains remained on site for extended periods.
Following concerns about the care of the deceased, Humberside Police removed 35 bodies and the ashes of 167 individuals from Legacy’s premises on Hessle Road in March 2024. Further inquiries disclosed that Bush retained more than 1,000 personal items belonging to the deceased and their families, including love letters, baby clothes, and other cherished possessions. Curreri, a former police officer with experience in major disaster responses such as Grenfell Tower and the Manchester Arena bombing, expressed how this “intentional negligence” was difficult to comprehend and likened the state of the funeral home to “a hoarder’s house with garbage bags everywhere… a mess.”
The crisis team was tasked with cataloguing and restoring these recovered items to their rightful families. After transporting the belongings to their headquarters in Reading, Berkshire, the staff cleaned and photographed each item, creating a detailed catalogue so families could identify the possessions they wished to reclaim. Curreri emphasized the urgency of this work, noting how the team “worked against the clock” to return items such as flags meant for coffins, sports shirts for final outfits, and wedding photographs ahead of second funerals. Although many families were relieved to recover these treasured belongings and fulfill their loved ones’ final wishes, some items remain unclaimed and will be held until further notice from Hull City Council.
The revelations have intensified calls for reform in the funeral industry, which currently operates without regulation. Emma Hardy, the MP for Hull West and Haltemprice, condemned the conditions uncovered as “unforgivable,” warning that without proper oversight, similar incidents could occur again. In response to public pressure and campaigns by affected families, the government announced in November 2024 that it was reviewing the sector. Meanwhile, Robert Bush faces sentencing after admitting to 67 charges, including 30 counts of denying lawful burial, theft of charity money, and fraud related to selling fake funeral policies. He pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced on 27 July
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