DEVASTATED pensioners have spoken of their distress after a funeral company they paid out thousands of pounds to went bust.

When Heavenly Services opened in the centre of Wibsey, the trio thought they were doing the best for their families by taking out a funeral plan with the firm.

Striving to support a new business on the high street, they paid their money to make sure that when the time came, a plan would be in place and there wouldn’t be further upset and stress for their loved ones.

But that came crashing down earlier this week when they learnt Heavenly Services was due to go into liquidation.

The people the Telegraph & Argus spoke to, a married couple and their friend, have been left distraught at the news and fear they will never see their money again.

One lady, a 68-year-old grandmother from Woodside, said: “Supporting a new business in Wibsey, that was my thought.

“Support for a little village. With Santander saying ‘have you done a funeral plan?’, it was next door.

“They were very amenable, she was a lovely woman. We got papers through about the plan and everything, we got that through in a fortnight of us doing it.”

She and her husband of 49 years spent nearly £5,000 on their plans last September.

“We just honestly and truly thought we were doing the right thing,” she said, often tearful as she talked about their ordeal.

“It was lovely inside, the rooms were lovely, it all looked like a funeral parlour should have done.”

A letter landed on their doormat this week from Bradford-based Auker Rhodes Accounting in relation to the funeral firm.

“In view of the Company’s financial position, the director resolved on 24 January 2022 to take all necessary steps to place the Company into Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation,” said the letter.

“The Company is insolvent and therefore cannot meet its liabilities in full.”

It added that a shareholders’ meeting is due to take place tomorrow, with the intention of winding the company up.

Included in the letter was a document outlining money owed to creditors, including nearly £100,500 to Business Enterprise Fund BSC Ltd, based in Little Germany in Bradford; almost £88,000 to Hull City Council, just over £33,000 to J.C Walwyn & Sons Ltd, a coffin and casket manufacturer, and £50,000 to NatWest.

The grandmother said of the news: “I’m gutted, like walking around in a daze. I couldn’t stop crying, it’s just awful. What would have happened if something had happened?

“I may as well have stood at the bottom of the street and thrown £5,000 down the road.”

Her friend, also 68, from Wibsey, paid £2,555 for her plan with the thought in mind that it would save her children any hassle when the time came.

She found out the firm had gone under through a conversation with another woman at a bus stop, leaving her in a state of shock.

“There must be other people,” she said.

“How many other people have woken up to get these letters?”

In a statement, to the Telegraph & Argus, Auker Rhodes confirmed Heavenly Services Ltd is to enter liquidation.

The firm said: “Following the death of a former director in October 2021, whose responsibility it was to manage the finances of the business, it became apparent to the remaining management team that the company did not have sufficient working capital to continue to trade.

"The Heavenly Services business operated providing funeral services from a number of sites in Hull, Bradford, Leeds, Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Bridlington. All are now closed.

“Auker Rhodes Accounting has worked with the management team to identify those individuals who had taken out funeral plans with Heavenly Services. They have all been contacted. Anyone who believes they have a funeral plan with Heavenly Services, but has not yet received any correspondence, should make themselves known to Auker Rhodes Accounting on 01274 299499. 

“Once a liquidator has been appointed it will be their job to review the company’s books, records and financial statements to ascertain why the company has run into financial difficulties and to report their findings to the creditors, who will include the holders of funeral plans.

"All company assets will be recovered and sold for the benefit of creditors.”