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'Cremated son' later found alive | 'Cremated son' later found alive |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A 58-year-old mother believed she had cremated her missing son - only for him to turn up alive and well a day later. | A 58-year-old mother believed she had cremated her missing son - only for him to turn up alive and well a day later. |
Gina Partington, from Urmston in Greater Manchester, had mistakenly identified a dead man as her son and went to his cremation on Tuesday. | Gina Partington, from Urmston in Greater Manchester, had mistakenly identified a dead man as her son and went to his cremation on Tuesday. |
Police called the next day to say they had found her 39-year-old son, Tommy Dennison, in Nottingham. | Police called the next day to say they had found her 39-year-old son, Tommy Dennison, in Nottingham. |
Mrs Partington said that her son and the other man, as yet unidentified, "could have been twins". | |
After she was first told her son was dead she mentioned distinctive scars he had from a previous brain injury and a badly ulcerated leg, and police confirmed it was him. | After she was first told her son was dead she mentioned distinctive scars he had from a previous brain injury and a badly ulcerated leg, and police confirmed it was him. |
He had also been identified by his caseworker, who had reported him missing several days earlier. | He had also been identified by his caseworker, who had reported him missing several days earlier. |
I went and lifted the shroud and it was Tommy. I held his hand - it was him Gina Partington, mother | I went and lifted the shroud and it was Tommy. I held his hand - it was him Gina Partington, mother |
And Mrs Partington said when she saw the man lying on the mortuary block she too thought it was her son. | And Mrs Partington said when she saw the man lying on the mortuary block she too thought it was her son. |
"I went in with my ex-husband who went in first and said: 'Oh my god it's Tommy'. | "I went in with my ex-husband who went in first and said: 'Oh my god it's Tommy'. |
"I went and lifted the shroud and it was Tommy. I held his hand - it was him." | "I went and lifted the shroud and it was Tommy. I held his hand - it was him." |
The man was cremated at a ceremony on Tuesday. | The man was cremated at a ceremony on Tuesday. |
Mrs Partington was picking up her granddaughter from a party on Wednesday when she got a call from police saying they urgently needed to speak to her. | Mrs Partington was picking up her granddaughter from a party on Wednesday when she got a call from police saying they urgently needed to speak to her. |
"They showed me a photograph of somebody they said they had in custody in the Midlands for a few days - and it was my son. | "They showed me a photograph of somebody they said they had in custody in the Midlands for a few days - and it was my son. |
"I said: 'No, it's a joke - you're being silly, he's gone'. But they said they'd arrange for me to speak to him. | "I said: 'No, it's a joke - you're being silly, he's gone'. But they said they'd arrange for me to speak to him. |
He said, 'You've buried me' and I said, 'Yes son and I've given you a really good send off' Gina Partington, mother | He said, 'You've buried me' and I said, 'Yes son and I've given you a really good send off' Gina Partington, mother |
"Then on the way home I got a surreal call. I've got my granddaughter sitting there in Halloween costume and this boy saying to me, 'Hiya mam it's me Tam.'" | "Then on the way home I got a surreal call. I've got my granddaughter sitting there in Halloween costume and this boy saying to me, 'Hiya mam it's me Tam.'" |
"He said, 'You've buried me,' and I said, 'Yes son and I've given you a really good send off'. | "He said, 'You've buried me,' and I said, 'Yes son and I've given you a really good send off'. |
"You've had a Scottish flag and a Scottish minister - it's been a proper Scottish funeral." | "You've had a Scottish flag and a Scottish minister - it's been a proper Scottish funeral." |
Mrs Partington said she did not blame police and admits even she was fooled about his identity. | Mrs Partington said she did not blame police and admits even she was fooled about his identity. |
"They could have been twins - I can't actually accept it wasn't my son. Even the police confirmed it was him. I don't blame anybody," she added. | "They could have been twins - I can't actually accept it wasn't my son. Even the police confirmed it was him. I don't blame anybody," she added. |
Police have now told Mrs Partington they will introduce a system of fingerprinting a body that has no identification. | Police have now told Mrs Partington they will introduce a system of fingerprinting a body that has no identification. |
Detectives now believe they know the name of the dead man who died on 12 October near Upper Brook Street in Rusholme, and are trying to contact his family. | Detectives now believe they know the name of the dead man who died on 12 October near Upper Brook Street in Rusholme, and are trying to contact his family. |
The case has been voluntarily referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). | The case has been voluntarily referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). |