THE funeral of much-loved shopkeeper Gurmail Singh will be held on Monday.

Hundreds of people are expected to accept the invitation to pay their last respects to the Cowcliffe man at the Sikh temple on Prospect Street in Springwood.

Mr Singh’s body will be taken from the family home on Cowcliffe Hill Road to the temple for about 10am.

Mourners will file past the open coffin, which will then be taken to Fixby Crematorium at 11am, for the cremation at 11.30am.

There will be a further gathering, including food, at the temple afterwards.

Balbir Singh Uppal, who runs the Sikh Leisure Centre attached to the temple, said: “Anyone is welcome at both the temple and the crematorium.

“It will be a very difficult day, but this is part of the grieving process.”

Funeral arrangements were able to be confirmed after coroner Roger Whittaker authorised the release of Mr Singh’s body yesterday.

Opening the inquest into his death, Mr Whittaker heard brief details of the criminal case launched after Mr Singh died following a robbery at Cowcliffe Convenience Stores on February 20.

Mr Singh, 63, who lived opposite the shop on Cowcliffe Hill Road, was allegedly bludgeoned to death with a weapon, probably a hammer.

Mr Whittaker was told he died of severe head injuries.

He told family members present at Huddersfield Coroner’s Court: “Can I offer you my very deepest sympathy in this horrid tragedy that you have to bear.”

Umare Aslam, 20, of Coniston Avenue, Dalton, and Muawaz Khalid, 20, of Blackmoorfoot Road, Crosland Moor, have been charged with murder and robbery, along with three 17-year-olds who cannot be named for legal reasons.

They are due to appear at Bradford Crown Court in June.

Asked by Mr Whittaker if the police were looking for anyone else, Det Chf Insp Jonathan Hoyle, from the homicide and major enquiry team, said: “Not at this stage.”

Adjourning the inquest until the outcome of the criminal case, Mr Whittaker added: “As there have been murder charges in respect of each of the individuals that have been apprehended, it may be that I don’t need to hear the inquest, because I anticipate all your concerns will be ventilated in the criminal process.

“I have a discretion to resume the inquest, but it seems unlikely that this will be the case.”