STAFF at a mortuary that closed are still off sick following a suspected chemical leak.

Bournemouth council closed Holly Tree Lodge at East Cemetery last month.

Bodies were then transported across the county and even further afield for post-mortems without residents being informed of where their relatives were being taken.

It has now come to light that the three members of staff taken ill are still signed off work and could be away for some time.

Their symptoms have been described as something akin to “a permanent hangover.”

Bournemouth Borough Council have refused to discuss the matter, adding: “It is our policy to not comment on personal health or medical issues of our staff.”

Another source told the Daily Echo that all three staff members were still extremely unwell.

“This is not the first time this has happened. Could the same members of staff have suffered the same poisoning twice? I know for a fact that nobody is back at work.”

A council spokesman said: “We can confirm that the manager responsible for the staff and the facility has not been suspended,” their spokesman said. “An incident occurred in October 2016, but we cannot confirm if they are linked as we have not yet analysed the full report.”

Following Saturday’s coverage of the closure, a number of residents contacted the Daily Echo to say they had been affected by the closure.

Mary Hughes’s husband, Michael, passed away on February 18, aged 71 after a long battle with emphysema.

“He was missing for three weeks,” she told the Daily Echo. “I was told there was a chemical leak and that he was somewhere in Bournemouth. Then I couldn’t find out any more information and even the coroner didn’t know where he was. I’ve had no apology from the council.”

Mr Hughes, who died in his sleep at their home in Christchurch, was eventually buried last Thursday.

His distraught wife added: “It has traumatised me. He was really ill for two years and then his body goes missing. It’s not good enough.

“Even though they are dead they are still somebody’s loved one. It’s a disgrace.”