Tragic Stan Trueman died yesterday (Tuesday) as his wife Mary's body was being taken to Stockport crematorium on a horse drawn carriage.

The 76-year-old, who lived with his wife for 50 in Lower Bredbury, had been too sick to attend her funeral. He died at home.

Animal lover Mrs Trueman, 74, spent much of her life caring for animals so it was a fitting send off when her coffin was carried by the horse drawn carriage.

But daughter Mary Wood, who lives on the Bridgehall estate, was devastated after hearing the awful news her dad had died.

She said: "He was really poorly yesterday so we were expecting it. But for it to happen on the same day as the funeral was a real shock.

"He was diagnosed with liver cancer five weeks ago. When they both knew how ill they each were, they seemed to give up."

Mary's mother's coffin was carried on a 100-year-old carriage made by famous Birmingham carriage maker John Marsden. It was pulled by two horses used in the recent funeral of Reggie Kray.

Both the horses and the carriage were specially brought up to Stockport for the day from Cambridgeshire.

The coffin was collected at Unsworth's funeral directors in Bramhall before it was taken to St Joseph's Church on St Petersgate and then down the A6 to Stockport Crematorium.

Mary is now planning an identical funeral for her father - also an animal lover.

She said: "It was a beautiful ceremony and I want exactly the same for my dad because he was also a horse fanatic and loved everything old fashioned. We want to give him exactly the same send off."

Mary added: "The horse drawn carriage was my father Stanley's idea. He was a very old fashioned person who loved tradition so I organised the funeral on his behalf.

"This is the way my mother would have wanted her funeral. She lived for her family and was a devoted animal lover who sponsored horses at the Redwings stables in Norfolk."

Mary's family asked that flowers were not given at the funeral and instead asked for donations to be made to the Redwings stables.

Chris Unsworth, of Unsworth funeral directors in Bramhall, said: "Passers-by bowed and took their hats off as a mark of tribute."


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