The voluntary visits were carried out in response to government advice provided to all local authorities in April, following issues and difficulties identified in East Yorkshire.

A team of business compliance and public health officers from the council visited nine funeral directors across 14 locations in Warrington, to assess the quality of services provided by funeral directors in the area.

Conducted over a six-week period, from late July to early August, the inspections focused on three key areas of compliance:

•            hygiene and facility conditions

•            dignity and condition of the deceased

•            the handling of pre-paid funeral plans

Following the review, the council has released a report stating that no non-compliance was identified, and all funeral directors were maintaining good levels of dignity and respect for the deceased at the time of the visit.

The visits were welcomed by funeral directors, who also said they are supportive of the idea of greater regulation for the industry.

Cllr John Kerr-Brown, the council’s cabinet member with responsibility for licensing and regulatory services said, "It’s vital that our funeral directors maintain the highest standards of care at all times, and these reassurance visits were carried out to ensure that this is the case in Warrington.

“We are pleased to report that our visits to local funeral directors found no issues, with all the businesses reviewed showing a strong commitment to providing good quality services.

"We would like to thank the funeral directors who participated in the visits and for their cooperation. We will continue to work closely with the sector to ensure that our residents have access to high-quality, professional and compassionate services."