Sven-Goran Eriksson's dying wish rejected days after funeral

Sven-Goran Eriksson (Image: Getty Images)

Sven-Goran Eriksson's final wish has been refuted by council chiefs who have refused permission for his ashes to be spread at a beloved scenic spot.

The ex-England and Manchester City manager died last month aged 76, with his funeral happening in his native Torsby on the previous Friday.

Notable figures including his former partner Nancy Dell'Olio and England legend David Beckham joined others in paying their respects. Eriksson had desired his ashes scattered across an idyllic area of Lake Fryken, a place close to his heart.

In a poignant moment from his Amazon documentary, which debuted shortly before his death, Eriksson shared: "It's a beautiful place. It makes you calm, it makes me calm. My father grew up below the mountain. If you look straight ahead there is Torsby where I grew up, and in the other direction is Sunne where I was born. I have always thought it was a good place to sleep. My ashes can be thrown into the water here. It feels like home."

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Nevertheless, these plans have now been dashed. Reports from The Sun claim local authorities have barred his family from fulfilling his last request at the picturesque location.

Sven-Goran Eriksson (Image: Getty Images)

Relaying the unfortunate news, Eriksson's agent Bo Gustavsson commented: "We have not been allowed to scatter his ashes in Lake Fryken."

Subsequent updates have confirmed that Eriksson's remains will instead be interred in an urn at a private site. His friend Anders Runebjer explained: "We have withdrawn our application to scatter his ashes. They will be buried in an urn instead."

Despite Sven-Goran Eriksson's last wish being rejected, his hometown Torsby is set to pay him a unique tribute. The town's business developer, Andre Liljemark, said that they have plans for an extraordinary new statue.

Liljemark revealed: "It will be a bronze statue and will be heated by electrical cords inside it keeping it warm, so people will be able to come here during the winter and Svennis will be warm to touch.

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"It will be exactly Svennis' size. The arms, the fingers, the nose, the ears, everything. The artist visited Svennis and took measurements. Every millimetre of his body will be the right size and on the statue will be Svennis' real suit and shoes, which he wore.

"She's [the artist] been taking inspiration from pictures of the time when he was with England. It is in the making and will be finished maybe in November."

Sven-Goran Eriksson's dying wish rejected days after funeral

Sven-Goran Eriksson's dying wish rejected days after funeral

Sven-Goran Eriksson's dying wish rejected days after funeral

Sven-Goran Eriksson's dying wish rejected days after funeral

Sven-Goran Eriksson's dying wish rejected days after funeral