A BEREAVED couple who lost their son in a tragic car accident six months ago are still waiting for an official death certificate.

The lack of a certificate as they await an inquest means their attempts to tie up his affairs - and their ability to move on emotionally - are being thwarted.

Former Examiner features editor Malcolm Cruise and his wife, Denise, of Riley Park, Kirkburton, are still struggling to come to terms with 29-year-old Tim's death.

Tim, also of Kirkburton, a qualified civil engineer who worked for Stratagem, in Steeton, died in an horrific crash involving several vehicles, including two lorries, in Cumbria in April this year.

His parents, who are trying to close accounts and sort out insurance policies, say they are staggered at the ineptitude and arrogance of many banking, insurance and financial institutions and the Inland Revenue .

Mr Cruise said: "None of these institutions seems to have a system for dealing with such eventualities."

The couple have received a number of letters from various companies addressed to their late son, well after having been told of his death either by the family solicitor or by Mr Cruise himself.

"And companies continued to take direct debits from Tim's account for months after he died, despite being told of his death."

Mrs Cruise said:"On July 1 we eventually received an interim death certificate from the Coroner's Office in Carlisle, but so far only one of these institutions has accepted it as proof . They all insist on seeing an original copy of the death certificate."

But that will not be issued until after the inquest is concluded, which could still be months away.

She said: "We have telephoned these various companies but it seems impossible actually to speak to a person who knows anything about it. Communication seems to be all call centres and internal e-mails - many of which obviously go unheeded.

"When we did get to speak to an individual they often claimed they had not received the solicitor's letters - when we knew that they had been sent."

Mr Cruise said: "These companies should each have a dedicated department which deals exclusively with people who have been bereaved so that matters can be expedited. Many other people must be caught up in similar circumstances.

"Obviously we want to know what happened in the accident and we want to be able to sort out his financial affairs but the main thing is that we want to move forward and pick up our lives again.

"And that goes for our daughters Victoria and Rachel - who is Tim's twin - too. They are just as badly affected.

Mrs Cruise added: "We have had very little contact from the Cumbria police and no official liaison officer, neither with the local police nor with the Cumbria Constabulary.

"No-one contacts us; we have to contact them and the thought of being in this state of limbo for months more is unbearable.

"Our son died or was killed, it wasn't his fault and yet his family are being made to suffer by these unfortunate circumstances."

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