A DUNFERMLINE dad who thought he'd buried his son's body 42 years ago has now discovered it was an empty coffin.

Bruce Paton, 70, told the Press he felt anger that he "cannot put into words" after the agonising news.

It was thanks to his ex-wife's persistence in being granted a court order for an exhumation that then revealed the coffin was buried without human remains.

After being born on June 26 1975, with internal injuries and spending his seven days of life in an incubator, Gary Robert Paton died on July 3, 1975.

He was buried at Saughton Cemetery in Edinburgh where the exhumation was carried out by Professor Dame Sue Black last month.

Dame Sue, a forensic anthropologist, found a shawl, a hat, a cross and a name tag in the coffin, with no accompanying skeletal remains.

The plot of the burial was next to Bruce's grandad so he could "look after" his son.

"It turns out that my grandad has been looking after an empty coffin for 42 years. That is an insult to the Paton family," Bruce said.

Bruce and Lydia Reid's baby boy died at Edinburgh's Hospital for Sick Children.

Two nights before the funeral, Ms Reid and her sister went to say a "final goodbye" in the hospital.

She claimed the body she was shown was not her son's.

"I never knew anything about this for years," Bruce said.

"To now find out that we've buried an empty coffin is heartbreaking. I'm just so shocked."

To add to the family's pain, the nameplate on top of the coffin was spelt incorrectly.

"I was in the car with the coffin on my knee and I realised they had spelt Gary's name wrong. All I got was an apology.

"Scotmid have a lot to answer for."

A Scotmid Co-operative Funerals spokesperson said: "As soon as we became fully aware of the serious allegations and concerns of Ms Reid regarding the funeral carried out 42 years ago by St Cuthbert's Co-operative, now Scotmid Co-operative Funerals, we immediately informed Police Scotland.

"We also met with Ms Reid and close members of her family to offer our full support in what has been an extremely distressing situation for them.

"At our behest, Police Scotland are now conducting an active investigation."

The Press understands that Ms Reid was set to have a meeting with Aileen Campbell, the Minister for Public Health & Sport on Wednesday.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Our deepest sympathies are with Ms Reid and her family. We are in contact with Ms Reid and a meeting has been arranged with the Minister for Public Health.

"Given it is an active police investigation, it would be inappropriate to discuss the details of this case further at this stage."