Irishman declared dead in error reunited with son

AN IRISHMAN who was mistakenly declared dead after going missing in Britain eight years ago has been reunited with his family.

John Renehan (42) was amazed to see his father on a missing persons appeal programme earlier this year.

After he contacted the television programme it emerged that John Delaney( 71) was alive and had been living in a care home in Oldham, Greater Manchester, since 2000.

Mr Renehan, a father of two, said: "I had just finished my night shift and was getting ready to go to sleep when I turned on the TV. As I was turning away I got a glimpse of who I thought was my father.

"For the rest of the day I could not get to sleep. I was in shock. I have always tried to be strong-minded. We thought we had cremated my dad. But I knew it was him."

The 71-year-old Irish emigrant had in fact been admitted to hospital in a confused state 10 days after he was reported missing. He had been found in the street suffering from amnesia and was unable to reveal his identity.

Mr Delaney was then given the name David Harrison by Oldham Social Services. They put him in a care home where he stayed for the next eight years.

Social services were unable to appeal for information until a change in law this year allowed them to do so without Mr Delaney's consent.

Meanwhile, a badly decomposed body found in the grounds of Manchester Royal Infirmary in 2003 was mistakenly identified as that of Mr Delaney. His family was informed and they arranged a funeral and cremation.

The injuries detected were similar to those suffered historically by Mr Delaney and the clothing on the body was similar to what he was wearing when he disappeared, police said.

Police have launched an inquiry to establish the true identity of the man who was cremated in 2003.

"It plays on my mind a lot of times," Mr Renehan said. "I feel sorry for the other family and I don't know how anyone is going to find out who it was."

The police put out a missing person alert when Mr Delaney disappeared, but have now admitted "mistakes were made". They said he should have been identified eight years ago, when he turned up at the hospital.

A police spokesman said: "The force will continue to work closely with the family."

The pair were reunited two weeks ago after DNA tests confirmed they were father and son. Mr Renehan claims his fathers memory is slowly starting to improve and said he has been showing Mr Delaney family pictures every day.

"We are getting on really well," he said "He is talking more. I hope he will get better with more contact."