TWO women have been arrested on suspicion of trying to smuggle a dead relative on to a flight out of the country.

A 91-year-old dead man wearing sunglasses and sitting in a wheelchair was set to be pushed on board a flight to Berlin at the weekend.

The women, a 41-year-old and a 66-year-old, are said to have protested that the lifeless pensioner was merely asleep when probed by officials at Liverpool John Lennon Airport on Saturday.

The pair were arrested on suspicion of failing to give notification of death.

A post-mortem examination is due to take place over the next few days.