The bodies of 35 people and the suspected ashes of a number of others have been recovered by police investigating a Yorkshire funeral directors over “concern for care of the deceased”. Humberside Police said the remains had been removed from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Hessle Road in Hull and taken to the mortuary in the city.

A 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of prevention of a lawful and decent burial, fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position have been released on bail, the force said.

Assistant Chief Constable Thom Mcloughlin told a press conference on Tuesday: “We have now recovered a total of 35 deceased who have now been respectfully transported to the mortuary in Hull and formal identification procedures are now taking place.

“In addition, we have also recovered a quantity of what we suspect to be human ashes. We are in the process of carefully recovering all of those ashes and taking those to the mortuary.”

A large number of police have been seen at the site, including forensics officers dressed in white protective suits and the maritime protection unit.

Officers cordoned off three Legacy Independent Funeral Directors sites after the force received a report on Wednesday of concerns about the “storage and management processes relating to care of the deceased”.