THE funeral of the Horbury children gassed to death in Corfu will be

held next week. Christianne Shepherd, seven, and her brother Robert, six, will be

buried at St John's Church in Wakefield on Tuesday morning. A police spokesman said the grieving family did not want mourners to

send flowers and instead asked for people to give money to the NSPCC. Meanwhile, confusion reigns over criminal charges relating to the

deaths of the children. Christianne and Robert died on October 26 while on a half-term

family holiday on the Greek island. Their father, Neil Shepherd, 38, and his girlfriend, Ruth Beatson,

27, survived and are now being treated at Pinderfields General Hospital in Wakefield. Greek court officials said an official from tour operator Thomas

Cook and five hotel staff had been charged with manslaughter. But Thomas Cook denied that one of its staff had been charged. The

firm also said that "at no time during the inquiry have the police or any other authority been in touch with us". The Greek court officials said the hotel director, general manager

and maintenance manager, as well as the air conditioning installation manager and a maintenance employee were charged with manslaughter and causing bodily harm through negligence. They said the same charges were brought against an official from

Thomas Cook, who inspected the hotel. All would face a maximum sentence of five years in jail.

Yesterday West Yorkshire Coroner David Hinchliff opened inquests

into the deaths of the children. He said he would do his utmost to ensure the deaths would be "fully,

fairly and fearlessly" investigated. He said during a nine-minute hearing: "I will do my utmost to ensure

that, through all the channels available to me, the cause and circumstances of both Christie and Bobby's tragic deaths are fully, fairly and fearlessly investigated and the relevant facts are exposed to public scrutiny."