Man's Coffin Accompanied In Hearse By 'B*****d' Floral Tribute

WARNING: Contains offensive language

It is commonplace for funerals to make little nods to the loves and passions of the deceased. However, it is less common for such nods to involve spelling out the word 'bastard' in flowers.

SWNS

No, those who knew the deceased man weren't taking the opportunity to have a pop at the guy. It was in fact a reference to a scene from his favourite TV show, The League of Gentlemen, in which a coffin is accompanied by a floral arrangement that simply reads - you guessed it - 'bastard'.

Unsurprisingly, Tracy Lazonby - the owner of Final Journey Funerals in Carlisle - said she had never received a request quite like it before.

She said: "I can remember his family laughed talking about it, but didn't think it was possible - but of course it is. He had the last laugh.

"It wasn't because he was hated, he was very much loved."

But while the tribute was undoubtedly unusual, Tracy said people were shirking tradition in favour of personalisation more and more these days, with one woman choosing a bright pink casket over the customary black.

SWNS

Tracy said: "We had one man who wanted to be carried in a classic vintage truck. The coffin was strapped onto the flatbed, because he was a vintage truck enthusiast.

"We're all led to believe that funerals should be a black hearse and black cars, and everyone dressed in black and a wooden coffin. That does not fit everybody. We're all individuals, and there are people who want to have a funeral that reflects them and their personality and their life.

"Going with something different can make the occasion a little lighter and not as daunting. It's hard enough when someone's lost someone and it affects their whole life.

"If the funeral reflects the person they lost, it can help with the grieving process."

The increasing popularity of quirky funerals isn't just a Carlisle-based trend though.

SWNS

Only one in 10 adults would opt for a traditional religious service nowadays, while 36 percent would prefer their family and friends to get together for a celebration of their life, according to a report by Co-op Funeral Care.

More than two fifths of those who were surveyed as part of the report said they thought funerals would continue to become less formal in the future, with 21 percent reckoning the wake will eventually become more significant than the funeral service itself.

So bye-bye funerals, hello fun-erals.

Topics: UK News, Funny, Weird

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey