OLD people in Bolton's residential care homes are being sold pre-paid funeral plans which could land relatives they leave behind with large bills for "extras".

Co-operative Funeral Services say they have received reports that finance company salesmen have been targeting Bolton care homes with schemes - sometimes known as funeral bonds - which turn out to be "substantially lacking".

To save their families the distress of having to make funeral arrangements, old people in the autumn of their lives are sometimes laying out hundreds of pounds in the belief that "everything will be taken care of."

But Mark Holmes, Co-operative Funeral Services manager, is so concerned that some firms are duping people out of hard earned savings that he has issued a warning.

He says old people should always seek independent advice before they part with money or sign their name for any kind of funeral plan.

The alarm bells were rung when it was discovered that one elderly woman was sold a funeral plan by a salesman who had been let into a Bolton care home - by the CLEANER.

Mr Holmes said that, in some cases they had checked out, plans had been sold which did not even include cemetery or cremation fees. And that could add an extra £700 to the bill.

In some cases, salesmen were swaying old people with promises of bunches of flowers or "24 hours to sign up" pressure tactics.

Mr Holmes on 0161 226 5111 and Bolton Co-op Funeral Services on 01204 307151 are offering free advice to anyone approached by a funeral bond seller.

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