TWO youths broke into a hospital mortuary to put jewellery on a dead friend as a mark of respect.

The pair, aged 19 and 18, smashed a toughened glass window to get into the mortuary at Worthing Hospital.

The dead man, from Worthing, was in his early twenties.

His friends, both from the town, were arrested later and have been released on police bail.

But police say nothing was taken during the break-in and detectives are at a loss to know what to charge them with.

PC Chris Saunders said: "To commit burglary, an offender has to break in with intent to take something but they didn't take anything from the mortuary. In fact they took jewellery in.

"I'm sure there are offences dating back to the 17th century where you are not allowed to interfere with dead bodies. We are looking into that.

"It's a bizarre case. We think they broke in to pay their respects."

Staff at the hospital, in Lyndhurst Road, were alerted by a security alarm.

Hospital spokesman Pam Lelliot said: "All bodies are clearly marked and it would not have been difficult for them to find the one they wanted."

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