A BEREAVED son has turned to the community to raise money to pay for his mother’s funeral – after council officers tried to arrange to seize her belongings less than a day after she died.

Tom Johnson, 21, was devastated when he lost his mum Deborah, aged just 56, on Sunday.

Deborah was diagnosed with terminal cancer earlier this year. Registered disabled, Tom said she was unable to work for several years and had no money saved to cover the cost of her funeral – so she had arranged for an environmental funeral through the borough council.

But on Monday, just hours after Tom had heard his mother’s last words – “I love you” – he had a phone call from council officers to ask when they could go through her belongings to recoup costs.

They arrived the next day, Tuesday. But Tom took the ‘difficult decision’ to turn to the community instead, saying that watching his mum’s belongings being sold would be like ‘letting them take her life’.

He has set up a fundraising page to raise the £2,000 needed for a modest but appropriate funeral, and kind-hearted friends have already donated more than £300 in a few days.

Tom said he is ‘so grateful’ to people for their donations.

Writing on his fundraising page, he said: “It's incredibly embarrassing asking people for money for something I should be able to provide for her after everything she has done for me and the rest of her family but the truth is I can't and I cannot do it without extra help.

“This is glorified begging and it's seriously demeaning but I'm willing to settle on my knees and physically do it for her. I cannot allow her to have anything less than something amazing and beautifully organised for her send off.”

He plans to have a simple service, and wants friends and family to share stories. He is also considering a cardboard coffin so people can write messages on it.

“She was my blonde superhero. Growing up I struggled a lot with ADHD and if I ever felt I couldn’t could stand up to people or measure up to the world she would hold my hand and see me through it.

“When she was diagnosed with cancer she was distressed, but she was more upset about leaving me behind.”

Tom cared for his mother in the final months of her life at Deborah’s home in Westmacott Road, Weymouth.

He set up a bicycle maintenance workshop earlier this year, and has renamed it ‘Debbie’s Trust’ in her honour.

The workshop aims to provide a place for people to learn new skills and socialise, and Tom said it was inspired by his mum and is a way for him to ‘share her love and happiness’.

Anyone who wishes to donate should search Tom Johnson at www.youcaring.com

"We always recoup costs sensitively"

Francis Drake, Community Safety Briefholder for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council said: “If a deceased person has no family or friends able to arrange a funeral the council will step in. If a public health funeral is carried out the council is expected to try and recoup the costs from the person’s estate at a later date, however we always do this sensitively.

“We are unable to comment on individual cases. However if we are asked to give advice we will try to help family or friends by letting them know what support is available, such as grants for funerals if they are on a low income. There is no question of the council rushing in and seizing goods, we always try to advise family and friends so they can arrange things how they want. A public health funeral is usually undertaken where there is no-one else to make arrangements.”