A WOMAN whose body has lain in a funeral parlour five weeks while her sons argue over who pays the bill will now be laid to rest.

A funeral service for Mary Cantwell will be held next Thursday in a chapel at St Joseph's RC Cemetery in Moston. Interment will follow.

Mrs Cantwell, 91, died at a nursing home on March 5. She was to be buried six days later after her son Andrew Cantwell agreed a £2,200 fee with funeral director Michael Kennedy.

Her other son David, who lives abroad, flew to Manchester for the funeral. But Andrew Cantwell, 60, `walked away' from the arrangement when asked for a deposit, according to Mr Kennedy.

His brother flew home, telling Mr Kennedy he would only pay a contribution to the cost.

Mrs Cantwell's body is still in the chapel of rest at Michael Kennedy Funeral Services in Blackley.

Now Manchester council says it will pay for the funeral and recoup the costs. It said Mrs Campbell left an estate capable of meeting the bill.

A spokesman said: "Out of respect for the lady, we decided to make the necessary funeral arrangements with the undertaker and resolve the situation.

Inquiries

"We have now done that and will continue our inquiries thereafter."

Mrs Cantwell, Elizabeth to friends, was a regular worshiper at St Dunstan's RC Church in Moston, but had been unable to attend for some time after she was taken ill.

She died at the private Oakland Nursing Home in Moston.

One woman is understood to have turned up at the chapel for the first planned funeral, unaware it had been cancelled.

Fr David Featherstone, parish priest at St Dunstan's, described Mrs Cantwell as a 'gentle soul, well liked and well respected' by parishioners.

He said friends from the church had visited her regularly at the home to give her Holy Communion.

One friend said: "She would have been horrified by what has happened." Andrew Cantwell, who lives in his mother's house in Worsley Avenue, Moston, said: "I found out my mother had a bank account I didn't know about. I thought my brother would help but I went into hospital and when I came out he'd gone back to Australia."