A man's body was 'exposed' to grieving mourners when straps being used to lower his coffin into a grave snapped during a cemetery burial service, an MP has said.
Jake Berry revealed details of what he called an 'appalling incident' during a debate in Parliament.
The MP said the coffin 'fell more than eight feet' into the open grave, resulting in the 'exposure of the remains of the deceased'.
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The family, he added, were left 'understandably very distressed' and many left the graveside immediately, reports Lancashire Live.
They went on to complain to Mr Berry, their MP, that the straps being used to lower the coffin into the grave were not long enough.
The Rossendale and Darwen MP spoke of the incident in January in Parliament on Wednesday during a debate on regulation of funeral directors.
He said it happened at Darwen Cemetery in Lancashire.
Mr Berry told MPs: "The incident was caused by the snapping of the straps used to lower the coffin into the grave.
"After the straps snapped at the mouth of the grave, the coffin fell more than eight feet into the open grave, resulting in the exposure of the remains of the deceased.
"Understandably, many family members and other mourners immediately left the funeral.
"The family had been led to believe by K.C. Funeral Services that enough members of staff would be in attendance to assist at the graveside, but the family did not believe that was the case.
"They felt, understandably, very distressed about the situation."
A spokesperson for the Darwen-based funeral directors said the details provided by Mr Berry were 'inaccurate' and that they were disappointed he had divulged the information in a public debate.
They declined to provide a further statement.
Mr Berry said the body was returned to the funeral directors and another coffin sought.
"The body was cleaned, having been at the bottom of the grave, and a team of pallbearers completed the burial the following day," he added in Parliament.
"It was a three-person grave, so it was very deep, and my deceased constituent was the first person to be interred.
"This was an appalling incident, and I pay tribute to Father Brian, who is a well-respected and widely liked parish priest based at St Joseph's and St Edward's in Darwen.
"He assisted the family, arranged for the majority of them to go home, sent away the mourners who had come to pay their last respects, and organised the removal of the deceased's body from the grave, which had to be undertaken by cemetery workers and the remaining family members.
"The incident was exceptionally traumatic for the family, who were already grieving the loss of a well-loved family member.
"Following the incident, they went back to see Emma Childerley at K.C. Funeral Services in order to ask her some questions about the normal operating practices of her business.
"They were made aware at the meeting that K.C. Funeral Services was not a member of the National Association of Funeral Directors or the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors.
"She confirmed to the family - it was the first time they had heard it, and I must admit that it was the first time I had heard it - that both registration schemes are voluntary.
"Some funeral directors, including the one I have mentioned, do not join such schemes, largely because of the cost burden of doing so."
Mr Berry said he wanted 'to address the gap in the regulations that enables some providers to operate with limited or no regulation'.
A spokesperson for K.C. Funeral Services, said: "The information contained within this debate are holy (sic) inaccurate and I'm very disappointed to learn that Jake Berry would go ahead and divulge this information without speaking with me first, if not to at least learn my side of the story.
"I am seeking further advice regarding this. I am not prepared to make any further comments until I have sought further legal advice."
