A PETITION calling for the ban on mourners and services at York Crematorium to be reversed has gathered 500 signatures in 12 hours- and a York MP says the 'completely insensitive' ban must be changed today.

The petition has been launched by Kelsey Dobson, the niece of a York woman who was widowed suddenly and is now 'devastated' she cannot say goodbye to her late husband.

"My auntie,Marie Dean, and her children Louise Barker and Barry Dean, are directly impacted by this decision," she said.

"They tragically lost their husband and father, Colin Dean, over the weekend - the cause of death was not related to coronavirus - and have been told they cannot attend the funeral."

Kelsey claimed Government guidelines still allowed close family to attend funerals, and said everyone needed to stay at home wherever possible to save lives and protect the NHS. However, whilst people were still able to attend the supermarket and building sites remained open, it was 'appalling to refuse grieving families the chance to say goodbye to loved ones."

The petition, which can be signed by going to http://chng.it/KqkLcHLy, was only launched at 10pm last night and had attracted 581 signatures by just after 11am today.

One person signing it said: "No family should be parted from loved ones when the time is here to say goodbye."

Another said: "Close family need to say goodbye, these times are difficult enough."

Meanwhile, York Central MP Rachael Maskell MP says she has been contacted by 'many distraught families in York who are wanting to be able to say goodbye to their loved ones' and has asked the council to overturn the decision.

She said she had also raised the issue with the Local Resilience Forum, put in place to oversee all strategic matters concerning the Coronavirus outbreak, and with the Secretary of State for Local Government.

She said: "York’s Council have stepped way beyond the Government’s guidance which determines that 10 people should be able to attend a funeral and social distancing provision should be put in place. If people are living in the same household, there is no reason why they should be separated at the funeral either.

"It is also vital that for those of faith that religious and cultural observance is also adhered to. Respecting such wishes of the deceased is vital and falls in line with the United Nations Human Rights convention.

"This is a very difficult time for everyone, but when crowds are still in our supermarkets and working in warehouses across the city, to stop close family members being able to say goodbye to a child, a parent or partner is completely insensitive and deeply damaging.

"Funerals provide an important role in the grieving process, and to be denied such an opportunity will cause lasting pain for families. At this time some people are unable to be with close family members as they die, and then not being able to be with them at their funeral is a step too far.

“Constituents have shared their heartache over this decision by the council, a council who could institute safe funeral distancing measures as other councils are, like North Yorkshire which are enabling funerals to go ahead with 10 family members while observing safe social distancing as set out in the Government guidance. York must immediately revert to this too.

"I will do everything possible to ensure that the rights of families and the wishes of the deceased are supported at this time, City of York Council must understand the pain that they are causing and change their policy today.”

The Press has asked the council to respond to the claims made by Kelsey Dobson and by Rachael Maskell, and will publish when we received it.