GRIEVING relatives are facing delays of up to a week while waiting for their loved ones' funerals to take place.

Some funeral directors say their staff are working extra hours to cope with a noticeable rise in the number of deaths across the area.

Now Lawnswood crematorium at Adel is to extend its opening hours to include a Saturday, (January 30), as a precautionary measure.

Simon Mahony, owner of Goods Funeral Services in Otley, said demand had doubled over the last few weeks.

He said: "It's very distressing for families. They would prefer funerals to be sooner than later, but they accept that it's totally out of our control.

"The crematoriums are so busy and they are doing all they can but they are fully booked."

He said staff were having to work until 10pm on some nights to cope with demand.

He added: "We are coping, and we are working longer hours.

"It is out of the ordinary. I assume that the flu virus may have affected the elderly."

His views were backed by Ken Richards, manager of Cooperative Funerals in Leeds.

Mr Richards said: "There's little doubt that the death rate is higher than last year's, but I would hesitate to call it a major problem.

"There's been a problem with the 'flu, but it isn't an epidemic. I have known periods far worse."

Kevin Waite, owner of J Waite Funeral Directors & Son in Menston, said crematoriums were struggling to cope.

He said: "It often happens. There has been the 'flu, and once the crematoriums have one or two days off at Christmas, they can get behind and it takes some time to catch up again.

"There are only so many cremations they can do in one day.

"In Rawdon, they do 13. It's not a lot when you think of the area around Wharfedale."

A spokeswoman for Leeds City Council said plans to open Lawnswood Crematorium on January 30 were a precautionary measure and were intended to prevent a backlog.

She said: "It's quite normal for people to wait between 10 and 12 days.

"If people specify a particular crematorium, they have to wait for a slot. They are offered alternatives.

"It's a bad time of year, and Lawnswood is a very popular crematorium," she added.

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