The widow of Paul Ferris has publicly condemned his funeral service as a "farce" and challenged his girlfriend to produce a marriage certificate after a bitter row erupted on social media. Carolyn Ferris spoke out days after the 62-year-old was laid to rest following his death from multiple organ failure and alcoholic liver disease.
In a blistering post on X, Carolyn criticised the service for barely mentioning her eleven-year marriage to Ferris, while detailing Amanda Lindsay's first date with him at McDonald's and their holidays to Haven caravan park. She wrote: "Despite my intentions to remain silent and dignified, following on from the sudden passing of my husband, there are some things which I feel need to be addressed."
Challenge over marriage claim
Carolyn directly addressed Amanda, saying: "Amanda - I don't know you, I have never met you, indeed, I had never even heard of you until recently, when you classlessly interjected yourself on an X tribute I posted to my late husband." She added: "You referred to Paul as your husband in one particular post. Are you willing to post your marriage certificate to validate your claim that he was your husband? I can post mine if that helps."
She continued: "You were with him for five minutes. Paul and I share three amazing children. That ties me to him forever. Whether you like it or not. I'm under no illusion about who wrote his farce of a funeral service but in the grand scheme of things, you are irrelevant."
Social media spat escalates
The dispute began after Carolyn posted a tribute to her late husband on the day of the funeral, writing: "I will always love Paul for having given me three wonderful children. To Paul - may you rest easy now. You are finally free from your demons. That is the only comfort I gain from his passing. His suffering is finally over."
Amanda responded in the comments with "Evil cow". Another of Ferris' ex-girlfriends, Carolann Chisolm, came to Carolyn's defence, telling Amanda: "Oooft, battle of the blondes. Amanda, bit disrespectful to call the mother of his children an evil cow. She only left him, as did I."
Speaking to the Record, Carolann added: "Amanda was with Paul for a whole 15 minutes of fame. The only people who know what happened are Carolyn and Paul. I have heard both stories and Carolyn has always remained dignified."
Funeral details and attendees
The pair had clashed days earlier after Carolann shared a now-deleted tribute mentioning Ferris' battle with alcohol. Amanda blasted Carolann as a "reptile", writing: "He's my f*****g husband and I won't have his personal business put online, you f******g reptile." Carolann replied: "Don't be ridiculous. He was not your husband."
All three women attended the funeral, but Carolann and Carolyn left early, while Amanda was pictured outside embracing people. Over 300 people turned out, including former world champion boxer Alex Arthur, actor Paul Brannigan, ex-UDA boss Johnny Adair and the family of Manchester "Mr Big" Paul Massey.
Mourners heard how Ferris started his career "in the jewellery business" after being offered £500 to be the getaway driver for a jewellery robbery, later working for a local businessman thought to be Arthur Thompson. The service also heard how, after prison stretches in the 90s and early 2000s, Ferris was "determined to go straight" and wrote his first of four books. Elton John's Your Song was played as the curtains were drawn, and Ferris' sons John-Paul and William thanked mourners at the exit.
