Travellers’ funeral ends in blaze chaos

A TRAVELLERS’ funeral ended in chaos when emergency services were called after a caravan was torched as a tribute.

Fire services and police attended the blaze in Larkhall after the death of Esther McVey.

The 40-year-old was laid to rest in a service in the South Lanarkshire town on Wednesday last week.

But two days later her heartbroken relatives and friends gathered at the travellers’ site where she lived and set fire to her former home, a static caravan, as a “traditional tribute”.

But the fire spread out of control and into a nearby industrial estate.

Fire services spent more than two hours tackling the blaze.

Locals at the site yesterday said they had been honouring Esther.

One said: “Esther died after a battle with cancer.

“Her husband was heartbroken. She was very popular and lots of people turned out for her funeral.

“There was no violence or trouble at the funeral. Burning her old home was a traditional way of marking her death.”

Police Scotland had previously warned locals that Esther’s funeral at the town’s St Machan’s Parish Church was likely to attract huge crowds of people, many from the tight-knit travelling community.

They took the unusual step of warning motorists in the town to “drive with care” prior to the noon service.

But it wasn’t the last time they would be involved in the funeral with some in the emergency services unhappy about the impact on resources.

Fire officers who attended the blaze are believed to be furious the fire had been set deliberately.

One source said: “It is far from ideal having to attend a fire like this – one that was set on purpose.

“It was spreading out of control and was close to setting on fire a factory.

“It’s dangerous and could have caused a risk to lives.

“The problem was compounded by cars blocking the way into the site for fire engines.”

A spokesman said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted on Friday, to a report of a caravan on fire in Larkhall.

“Two fire appliances, from Larkhall and Lesmahagow, were immediately mobilised.

“Firefighters used powerful hoses to extinguish the flames before leaving the scene after ensuring the area had been made safe.”

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said no crime had been committed.

He said: “Officers were called to a report of a fire in Larkhall on Friday evening.

“Officers attended and no criminality was established.”