Widow found parts of dead husband's feet in his belongings

A widow has described her shock at finding parts of her husband's feet when his belongings were returned to her by a funeral home.

A major search was launched after Mark Federspiel, 64, fell from Western Ferries' Sound of Shuna while travelling between Gourock and his home in Dunoon on 15 June.

The former US Navy diver's body was found at Kilcreggan Beach on 12 October.

Mark's widow, Annette Federspiel, described the moment she opened the bag of his possessions as "like something out of a horror film".

WARNING: This article contains details which some readers may find distressing

Mark's belongings were returned to the family last week, soon after he was given a military send-off in Dunoon on 12 November.

"They absolutely stank," Annette said.

"I took the things out and his socks were heavy, so I put my hands in and I touched Mark's feet.

"I started howling and ran into the kitchen to get gloves and I put my hands back into the socks and pulled out the soles of Mark's feet.

"They were attached to the bottom of the socks – his soles and heels.

"What had they done to Mark? They had treated his body with so little care.

"Did they not realise his feet were hanging off in the mortuary?"

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Police Scotland did not return any belongings in this case."

Annette said her father came round to "tie up the bag of Mark's feet and take it outside before the funeral home could come to collect it".

"The bereavement officers and the funeral home both said they'd never heard of anything this awful," she said.

Annette says the stress of the past few months has affected her health and her 22-year-old daughter Lara has been left afraid to travel home by ferry to Dunoon.

Ch Insp James McArthur, Police Scotland's local area commander, said: "Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the family, who have been supported by specialist officers throughout this difficult time.

He added: "The death is not being treated as suspicious."

A spokesperson for Caladh Funeral Services in Dunoon said: "As a matter of policy, we do not comment on the specifics of individual cases, in order to protect the privacy of the families we support.

"We understand how sensitive these situations are, and our priority is always to provide care, compassion and dignity to every family and every person in our care."