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A bereaved widow who watched in horror as her husband's coffin was 'dropped' into his grave has spoken for the first time of her ordeal.

Debbie Swales, 47, screamed and collapsed as the pall bearers let the coffin carrying her devoted husband Gavin, 55, slip from their grasp.

They allegedly ran off as the coffin lid smashed open at a ceremony attended by hundreds of mourners in West Cemetery, Newcastle.

Eldest sons Gavin and Dean helped to remove the body of the loving dad-of-eight while shocked sister Zoe, 26, and other family members looked on.

Shattered widow Debbie then had to rearrange his funeral, which was held for a second time in two days, using a different funeral director.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

Debbie, who received medical attention from paramedics at the cemetery, said: "I screamed when I saw the coffin drop and had to be taken to the ambulance.

"I was traumatised and so were the kids. There were gravediggers who shouted at the pall bearers as they ran off, they were saying 'give him some dignity'.

"I was seen by paramedics and a priest. "I just screamed and the next thing I knew I was in the ambulance.

"I had paid extra for the coffin but my sons said the lid was broken, and they could see their dad's face.

"There was a slight cut to his cheek, and the blue lining in the coffin was ripped.

"My two youngest children were distraught. My sons managed to get him out of the grave and put him right before we got him to the hearse.

"There were no apologies from the funeral director, they left my kids to deal with it."

Debbie and her family, including sons Lee, Connor, and daughters Jade, Chelsea and Shannon, thanked those who travelled from as far afield as London and Leeds to attend former pipe fitter Gavin's funeral.

"There were hundreds of mourners," added Debbie. "And so many came back for the second ceremony."

Read more:Funeral service stopped after workers dig the WRONG grave

Debbie, of South West Denton, Newcastle, raised more than £3,000 for the Bright Red charity this year, which helps people with blood cancer, and has called for more people to join the Organ Donor register.

Funeral donations in memory of Gavin, who died last month from leukaemia, have now taken that total to more than £4,000.

She added: "We had to have the funeral all over again, but even for the second ceremony, the church was packed. We were so nervous in case anything else went wrong, it was absolutely traumatic.

"But how many people get two funerals? How many children can say they have been to their father's funeral twice?

"It has never been known. He got a good send off in the end, and we are so grateful to the people who came to both funerals.

"Gavin had two bone marrow transplants and it gave him another two and a half years, we will always remember that time."

The second service was held on Friday, after the coffin was dropped at the first 24 hours earlier.

Clarke Pearson Funeral Services of Denton Burn, Newcastle, declined to comment on the incident, or any of the allegations made against them, but confirmed an investigation was under way.