Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe offered free funeral by pal who took pity on him for having no cash

THE Yorkshire Ripper was offered a free funeral by a pal who took pity on him for having no cash.

The fiend took up the offer and will be buried and not cremated, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.

He hopes his grave will be near his hometown of Bingley, West Yorks, although locals may object.

And Sutcliffe – who called himself by his mother’s maiden surname Coonan – planned to change his name by deed poll so his grave would be anonymous but never got round to it.

But it has also emerged that taxpayers could fund the funeral to the tune of up to £3,000.

Under a Prison Service directive, prisons “must offer” to pay a contribution towards “reasonable” funeral expenses for those who die in custody.

Sutcliffe’s will is likely to be held by his solicitor. His ex-wife Sonia was listed as his next of kin on forms but his brother Mick, 69, is his closest surviving relative.

A source said: “One of Sutcliffe’s friends who visited him was a funeral director.

He offered him the funeral years ago when Sutcliffe ran out of money and that offer still stands.

“Sutcliffe wanted to ‘go home’ to be buried but that is close to where attacks were carried out and would stir up local anger.

“But he also planned to change his name so no one recognised his headstone. His illness and death were so quick he never got round to doing it.”

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