Eric Middleton was a nervous customer of Shuttleworth's Independent Funeral Services, asking them to handle the affairs of his recently-deceased mother Shirley, who he later confessed that he couldn't stand, and being entirely unaware of the unusual journey she would go on as a result.
Eric rang up the funeral parlour one morning in July 2021 to make arrangements and then personally called in soon afterwards, tearfully anxious for George Shuttleworth to collect his mother from Weatherfield General as she had never liked hospitals. Eric noticed that George's left arm was in a cast and wondered if he was up to collecting the hefty lady but George assured him that he and his "able assistant" Miss Eileen Grimshaw were more than up to the task (George didn't let on that his injury had been caused by Eileen as she angrily approached him rather too quickly in the Rovers, causing him to fall back in a panic, and then somewhat emotionally blackmailing her to help him out at the parlour).
In the meantime, George's paid assistant Todd Grimshaw was having troubles of his own, being threatened for money by troubled teenager Will whose services he had used at the start of the year to split up his ex Billy Mayhew from Paul Foreman in order that the two of them could take up again where they had previously left off. Will was demanding £5,000 from Todd otherwise he would reveal all to Billy and, other avenues being exhausted, he was left with the only option of stealing a newly delivered and expensive heat pump from Ed Bailey's builder's yard which had been purchased using Billy's church funds for a charitable halfway house. Unable to sort out any transport to move the heavy item, Todd "borrowed" the undertaker's van from outside 11 Coronation Street where George had left it after he and Eileen had collected Shirley and found to his horror that the corpse was still in the back while his boss and his mother were inside the house having a spot of lunch.
Upon discovering the loss, George and Eileen set off on a frantic and bad-tempered search while Mr Middleton returned, wanting to view his mother in George's back parlour. Todd returned just in time, claiming he had had to go to the crematorium and quickly telling their client that they would be ready for a viewing in an hour, suggesting that he pass the time in Roy's Rolls, sampling their "grand selection of pastries, cakes and other delicacies". Eric took up the suggestion, being very satisfied when he returned for the viewing later on, and resolving to leave other arrangements in the hands of his strong-willed wife.