A grieving mother was horrified to find that floral tributes to her dead son were mistakenly dumped just hours after his cremation.

Steven Sellers was just 23 when he died from cancer.

His beloved West Ham United football club gave a floral tribute to lay alongside many others from family and friends.

However, his mother Elizabeth Sellers was shocked to be informed by letter that a mistake had been made and the floral tributes had been thrown away the morning after his cremation.

Although the flowers were recovered, they should have been allowed to stay for seven days.

Mrs Sellers, 44, of Derwent Avenue, Rayleigh, was so upset she could not revisit the Avenue of Remembrance at the Sutton Road Cemetery in Southend.

She said: "I think it is disgusting. All we have is this curt letter saying it happened. I just think it is terrible for something so sensitive - it is like mourning him twice."

Gary Green, head of cemeteries and the crematorium for Southend Council, said the error was very much regretted.

He said: "There were one or two families involved and we have contacted as many as we can. It was very regrettable.

"Although the flowers were retrieved, we couldn't identify which were Mrs Sellers'.

"Our procedures have been reviewed, instructions have been issued and we hope this incident will not be repeated."

Heartbreak - David and Liz Sellers with their letter about son Steven, left

Picture: MAXINE CLARKE

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