Road humps halt funeral cortege

Speed humps line the mile-long route to the church

A group of mourners were forced to walk to a church service after their funeral cortege became stuck on speed humps.

The family of Tom Alty had to get out of their funeral car when it became stuck on one of the humps on the road to the church in Preston, Lancashire.

Mr Alty's son, David, said: "It was almost like we had beached on top of the hump."

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said the humps conformed to Department of Transport guidelines.

Matthew Tomlinson, from the council, added: "They are constructed to fairly tight guidelines but I will get my engineers to look at them.

I am just happy that his friends weren't there to see it as they were in the church David Alty, son

"I am happy to talk to residents and businesses to do whatever we can to make life easier for them."

Funeral director, Clifford Ward, said that this was not the first time that his vehicles had become stuck.

But he said it was the first time a family had had to get out and walk.

David Alty said his father's death and the day itself was "hard to bear" and getting stuck just made it harder.

"I am just happy that his friends weren't there to see it as they were in the church," he said.