A Chatteris funeral business wants to make it clear they do not employ a stone mason who closed his business without any warning at the beginning of this year.

Gary Manning, of Kent Memorials, closed his Station Road business leaving a trail of customers who paid for work that was never completed.

A spokesman for the National Federation of Funeral Directors, said that: “Chatteris Independent Funeral Services do not employ Mr Manning and have no plans to do so despite a number of people wrongly thinking they have,

“Involvement has simply been to assist those families who have paid deposits and had unfinished memorials (at a loss) to ensure that they get what they wanted at no additional cost - something like 15-20 orders currently.

“Mr Manning was utilised only to finish the ones he had started as it was more cost-effective to do so but most of the work is done by themselves and not Mr Manning or Kent Memorials.

“The owners of Chatteris have been quite clear that they have done this purely to assist those affected.

“Unfortunately, they cannot provide memorials for those who paid Kent Memorials in full as they simply couldn’t afford to but have made sure that anyone that has paid a deposit, will not lose that.”

The spokesman said that some people may be able to claim money back if they paid by credit card and advised people to look into the possibility of recouping money paid that way

Gary Manning said: “I’m sorry for the silence, there are some jobs I’m still in the process of being able to complete.

“All of my new memorial work has been passed over to Chatteris Independent Funeral Services, who will complete the works.

“And then there are those who’d requested their money back, some have been paid back already some are still waiting, but anyone who had paid me money will either be getting their memorial or their money back. Even if it takes me years.

“I fully understand this isn’t ideal, but it’s the best I’ve been able to do.”