‘Vulnerable’ wife can’t go to husband’s funeral

A DEVOTED wife won’t be allowed to attend her husband’s funeral after he died with coronavirus – because she’s classed as a vulnerable person.

Val Sweeney, 73, will only be able to see his coffin for a few minutes and will have to say goodbye to husband James, 85, when the hearse is brought to their home on the way to the service.

She said: “It has been like a horrible dream. The coffin will be brought home for a few minutes for us to say our final farewells.”

Former pub landlord and postman James – known as Jim – was taken to hospital from seizures but 17 days later tested positive for coronavirus.

Wife Val was then told she could no longer visit her husband’s bed – and he died five days later on April 3.

She said: “I was told I had to leave and I wouldn’t be able to visit again due to potentially carrying the virus. It was heartbreaking.”

Val told how she and daughter Louise were able to speak to Jim daily by phone at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport – and he would try and reassure them he was alright.

She said: “Louise and I spoke to Jim every day and left messages.

“I don’t think he knew we were talking to him very often, but I knew when he thanked me and said he loved me.

“He also told Louise it would ‘all blow over’ when she explained to him that we couldn’t visit, which was so fitting of his character.

“They were his last words to us – ‘Don’t worry, it’ll all blow over’.”

Val, of Caldicot, told of her heartbreak at missing her husband’s funeral on Friday at Gwent Crematorium in Cwmbran because she is a vulnerable person.

She said: “We will also have a proper memorial service when the time is right, to celebrate Jim’s life and the person he was.”