Tesco worker who died with no family to have ashes scattered in store's car park

A Tesco worker who died without any family is to have his ashes scattered in the supermarket's car park.

Andy Hughes died suddenly at the age of 55 from respiratory failure.

Colleagues of the popular check-out worker had employed a genealogist in a bid to track down any family members of Mr Hughes, but they failed to find any.

As a result Mr Hughes - who had learning difficulties - will receive a simple council funeral on Friday.

If Mr Hughes' next of kin are found they can claim Tesco's "death in service" benefit which would cover the cost of a funeral.

However, if no relatives are found, Mr Hughes' colleagues plan to set up a memorial bench and a rose bush in a quiet corner of the car park in Stratford Road, Stroud, and scatter his ashes there.

Mr Hughes' last known next of kin was his mother who died 10 years ago.

The store's personnel manager, Helen Skinner, described Mr Hughes' colleagues as being like his family, adding: "It's just so sad to think that we may not be able to give Andy the send-off and remembrance he deserves.''

Ms Skinner continued that Mr Hughes was a key figure in the community who had a "heart of gold", and that there had been "no man prouder" than Mr Hughes when he received his 25-year service award at Tesco in 2015.

"He was always enthusiastic about getting involved in any special events we had, like Children In Need," Ms Skinner recalled.

"He was always up for dressing up and we even have a photo of him in a bath of beans.

"He was forever raising money, so it's only right we do the same for him."