Council leader urges police to take action after dozens of people attend funeral in Harborough - despite Covid-19 restrictions

A well-known traveller’s funeral in Market Harborough has sparked fury after dozens of mourners attended - despite Covid-19 restrictions.

The grieving family and friends of Diamond Price turned up at the funeral at the Harborough Council-run Northampton Road cemetery in well over 20 trucks, vans and cars on Thursday morning (November 12).

And even more mourners were dropped off there after attending a service at the Evangelical Church in Bath Street, Market Harborough.

Eye-witnesses are now calling for the event to be fully investigated – as the Government is limiting the number of people who can attend funerals to 30 amid the Covid-19 emergency.

Harborough council leader Cllr Phil King is also calling for the police to act now while local MP Neil O’Brien insisted insisting that the law should be applied to everyone equally.

Leicestershire Police have admitted that “additional mourners” did go along to pay their respects – but insisted it passed off in a “safe and peaceful manner”.

Diamond Price, who was believed to be in her 60s, is understood to have lived at Justin Park travellers’ site on the southern edge of Market Harborough before moving to Lincolnshire.

Cllr Phil King, who leads Harborough council, said: “We would have clearly told them that no more than 30 people were permitted to attend.

“We wouldn’t have turned a blind eye.

“The police have admitted themselves that over 30 people turned up.

“So I will be keenly waiting to discover if they take any action here and fine the people involved.

“The Chief Constable has got to take the appropriate action.

“I do not believe that the police have any discretionary powers – allowing them to decide who and who should not attend funerals.

“That sort of approach would lead to free-for-alls and total chaos at events like this.

“This is exactly how this virus is spread - through big gatherings of this nature.

“And I understand that the virus is on the rise across Leicestershire – so this is the last thing we need.

“The police enforce the rules and I would expect them to take affirmative action urgently.”

The Conservative council boss added: “We cannot have one rule for one and one rule for another.

“I understand entirely if people who haven’t been allowed to attend funerals that they would have liked to have gone to this year are upset by this.

“It’s very disappointing that some groups are still choosing to ignore the requirements.

“Many other families have abided by these strict rules governing funeral attendance at a great emotional cost to themselves and their loved ones.

“Restrictions at funerals have been clearly and repeatedly articulated by the Government for many months now.

“So there is no excuse for not knowing the rules.”

Harborough MP Neil O’Brien told the Mail: “It’s very important that the law regarding funerals is applied equally to everybody across Harborough.

“I am concerned that many members of the public have made huge sacrifices this year and not been able to attend the funerals of their friends and loved ones.

“It’s crucial that everybody is treated equally before the law.”

One woman who saw events unfold at about 11am on Thursday as she tended her mum’s grave told the Harborough Mail: “I am absolutely outraged about this.

“I couldn’t believe how many people pitched up.

“I counted well over 20 vehicles parked inside the cemetery grounds.

“And there were quite a few more left on the grass verge outside on Northampton Road.

“There must have been at least 60 or 70 people there altogether.”

She added: “We are all supposed to be in this fight together battling the coronavirus.

“Well that’s a load of old rubbish.

“These people were all in there by the graveside tightly packed together.

“Never mind keeping two metres social distance apart they were hardly two inches.

“I have been stopped from attending the funerals of two of my dearest and longest friends over the last few months.

“It was heartbreaking.

“I so wish I could have gone along and helped to give them the send-offs they deserved,” said the Market Harborough woman.

“But I couldn’t go because of the 30-mourner only rule.

“But then I see many more than that going along to this funeral – it’s simply not fair and this should be investigated.”

A man who was there visiting his father’s grave said: “They seemed to behave themselves well enough and I didn’t see any trouble.

“But I can’t see why I’ve been stopped from going to funerals under the lockdowns this year while these people have openly and clearly broken the rules.”

A Leicestershire Police spokesman told the Mail: “We received advanced notice of a funeral due to take place at the Evangelical Church in Bath Street, Market Harborough, on Thursday November 12.

“Police, along with colleagues from partner agencies, engaged with members of the deceased’s family prior to the funeral.

“The deceased’s family acknowledged the restrictions currently in place that limit the number of funeral attendees to 30 people.

“It was agreed officers from the Market Harborough Neighbourhood Policing Area (NPA) would monitor proceedings.”

He added: “Officers observed that a small number of additional mourners attended to pay their respects, but remained at a safe distance from one another in line with the current restrictions and the funeral took place in a safe and peaceful manner.”

A Harborough council spokesman said: “We worked in advance with the police and the deceased’s family to ensure the current Covid-19 requirements were understood.

“We had officers on site at the time of the funeral who monitored the proceedings and liaised with the police.”