A grieving widow is desperately hoping for the safe return of her husband’s ashes after they were stolen from a parcel warehouse near Maidstone.

Chris Humbles, 75, who lived in Higham with his wife Diane for 24 years before retiring to Yorkshire eight years ago, died unexpectedly in October after developing septicaemia.

Mrs Humbles, 69, had asked the funeral home in Yorkshire to arrange for the safe transfer of his ashes to Charing Crematorium near Ashford, so they could be scattered in the same place as other relatives.

The funeral home had called on a specialist firm managing the transport of ashes to arrange the delivery, and had deposited the package, as instructed, at a collection point.

The firm then commissioned Hermes to collect them and en route they were taken from the warehouse at Phoenix Park in Park Wood.

The ashes were stolen, along with other items and a van, during a break-in overnight on November 25.

Mrs Humbles, who was born in Folkestone, said: “There is an oak tree on the right at the front of the chapel in Charing where my parents and grandparents are.

“It sounds morbid but eventually I will be there too so I wanted us all to be together.

“I was going to come down and stay with my cousin in Ashford to visit the crematorium where the ashes would have already been scattered and now that can’t happen. I am absolutely heartbroken.

“I just want to get my husband’s ashes back so he can rest in peace. This has been a really distressing time for me and my family.”

The couple, who live near Wakefield, had been married for 41 years and had four children between them, along with eight grand-children and three great-grandchildren.

They had met when Mrs Humbles had been working for a record label and he was a roadie.

He later became a transport manager.

The funeral director in Yorkshire is now offering a cash reward for the safe return of the ashes.

David Walker, 23, of Second Avenue, Gillingham, and Jimmy Read, 23, of no fixed address, appeared before Medway Magistrates’ Court on November 28 charged with conspiring to commit burglary with intent to steal.

Both suspects were bailed to a hearing at Maidstone Crown Court on January 4.

An investigation into the burglary is ongoing.

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