Large crowd of travellers gather at funeral in breach of social distancing guidelines banning groups of more than ten people meeting after police close A-road to allow huge cortege to pass through
- Funeral was for Albert Joseph Harper and took place on Wednesday morning in Chichester, West Sussex
- Mourners travelled around three miles to Portfield Cemetery and partly used the A27 which was closed
- A Highway Maintenance truck carried a giant photo of Mr Harper as well as flower arrangements
- Converted Rolls-Royce Phantom VII was previously owned by Simon Cowell and was used as the hearse
- It was reportedly converted at a cost of £500,000 and previously boasted a champagne bar and TV screens
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A large crowd of travellers gathered at a funeral in breach of social distancing guidelines after police closed an A-road to allow the huge funeral cortege to travel along it.
The funeral, for Albert Joseph Harper, who died aged 47, took place on Wednesday morning at Portfield Cemetery, in Chichester, West Sussex.
Mourners were seen gathering at Mr Harper’s graveside in breach of coronavirus social distancing rules banning more than ten people meeting for funerals. Groups of more than six are banned for other events.
They had travelled around three miles from nearby Marsh Lane along the usually-busy A27, which had to be closed for 30 minutes by police because some members of the funeral cortege were walking in the road.
A Highway Maintenance truck carried a giant photo of Mr Harper as well as flower arrangements, while some family members were seen standing up through the sun roof of a car as it formed part of the cortege.
The cortege was led by a converted Rolls-Royce Phantom VII which was once owned by Simon Cowell and was being used as the hearse.
The car, which was once fitted out with a champagne bar, TV screens and sheepskin rugs, would ordinarily cost around £300,000 if bought new but its conversion into a hearse reportedly cost £500,000.
The exclusive vehicle was converted by Nottingham-based A W Lymn The Family Funeral Service, which also offers a red London Routemaster double-decker bus and horse-drawn hearses in various colours.
A large crowd of travellers gathered at a funeral in breach of social distancing guidelines after police closed an A-road in Chichester, West Sussex, to allow the huge funeral cortege to travel along it
The funeral, for Albert Joseph Harper, who died aged 47, took place on Wednesday morning at Portfield Cemetery, in Chichester, West Sussex
Mourners travelled around three miles from nearby Marsh Lane along the usually-busy A27, which had to be closed by police because many members of the funeral cortege were walking in the road. Pictured: A Rolls Royce VII Phantom which was once owned by Simon Cowell had been converted into a hearse
Some family members were seen standing on the back of a truck as it carried items to Mr Harper’s funeral
A Highway Maintenance truck carried a giant photo of Mr Harper as well as flower arrangements
Mourners stood aboard this truck as it carried various items to the site of Mr Joseph’s funeral
Mourners were seen gathering at Mr Harper’s graveside in breach of social distancing rules banning more than six people meeting
This truck and an attached trailer carried various items as well as six male mourners who stood on the back
Other men were seen standing through the sun roof and out of the window of this car
Police were on the scene to allow the cortege to pass through and they closed the road
The procession of cars travelled at a slow pace as mourners queued to follow Mr Harper’s family to the cemetery