Savile's Nephew Says Body Should Be Exhumed

A nephew of Jimmy Savile has told Sky News that he supports calls to have his uncle's body exhumed.

Guy Marsden, son of Savile's sister Marjorie, said he believes other members of the family would agree that he should be moved from Scarborough's Woodlands Cemetery and cremated to spare the anguish of other families.

"If it is causing heartache and pain we would definitely go along with the people of Scarborough and the people whose loved ones are buried there," he said.

"My own personal view, if it came to it and it had to be moved, is let's get it done."

Several families of people buried in the council-owned cemetery say they don't want his body to remain in its prime position above all the other graves at the top of the hill.

Retired nurse June Thornton told Sky News that she wants the former television star to be dug up and dumped at sea. Her parents are buried in the cemetery.

"I don't know whether I'm being evil or not, but he liked the sea so I just hope that they dig his body up and take it to the sea. He'd be happy, and I certainly would," she said.

Ms Thornton says she witnessed Savile abusing a young female patient at Leeds General Infirmary in the 1970s.

Scarborough Borough councillor Colin Haddington said he hopes the body will be moved and had been asked to take action by the family of a baby buried near Savile.

"Those families who have got family members buried there want to visit in peace rather than thinking about who's looking down from the top of the hill," he said.

The disgraced star's ornate triple headstone in was knocked down and sent to landfill last month at the request of his family.

Savile is now believed to have been one of the UK's most prolific sexual abusers, with about 300 possible victims.

Detectives are following 400 lines of enquiry as part of the investigation, while the BBC has launched an inquiry into the culture and practices at the corporation in the era of Savile's alleged sexual abuse.