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BRITS ARE OPTING FOR FUNERAL SERVICES WHERE THEIR PERSONALITIES - AND QUIRKS - SHINE THROUGH 15:03, 21 Feb 2025 Funerals are often sombre events, with loved ones gathering to say a tearful
goodbye to their friend or family member. Funerals are, sadly, part of life and around 55,000 take place in Scotland every year. Most people plan ahead with unique, carefully-considered
requests that capture their personality and passions, ensuring their final farewell is as memorable as their life. Linda Nolan, renowned singer and member of the pop group The Nolans, passed
away on January 15, 2025, at the age of 65 after a prolonged battle with cancer. Linda rose to fame in the late 1970s and early 1980s with The Nolans, contributing to hits like
'I'm in the Mood for Dancing'. Later, she pursued a solo career and appeared in musical theatre productions like Blood Brothers. The Irish-born singer's funeral took
place in Blackpool this month, where family, friends, and fans gathered to pay their respects. The service featured a pink glittery coffin adorned with flowers, reflecting her vibrant
personality. Linda's sister Anne revealed that she had picked her own coffin and had one unusual request for the service, too. She shared on Good Morning Britain that Linda had jokingly
wished for mourners to wear mantillas - traditional lace head scarves - though the family ultimately decided against it. Article continues below "When they arrived, we thought, 'I
think she might've been having a laugh there!'" Anne said. "That was the kind of humour she had." Funerals that go beyond tradition are becoming more frequent.
These days, themed ceremonies or light-heartened celebrations of people's lives tend to showcase their individuality more and more. Ed Gallois, managing director of Funeral Guide, the
UK's largest funeral comparison site, explained: "Recently, there's been a noticeable change in how people view their final farewell. Individuals are choosing to infuse their
personalities and passions into their funerals, turning the event into a true reflection of who they were in life. "Whether it's a themed service or quirky requests like dressing
as a favourite character or adding unique touches to floral arrangements, it's clear people want their goodbyes to be as memorable and personal as the lives they lived." With that
in mind, the Funeral Guide team has compiled a list of the most unusual funeral requests off the back of experiences of 100 funeral directors and 1,500 Brits who planned a funeral last year.
The bizarre tales start with one family who ensured the deceased's love for simple pleasures was honoured by incorporating pork pies into the floral arrangements. Another one-of-a-kind
procession saw a coffin strapped to the roof of a Mini. Others requested festive and fun touches. A Star Wars-themed service ranks high on the list where Darth Vader and stormtroopers lead
the procession and mourners were asked to dress as characters from the space franchise. Elsewhere, for a lively farewell, one service saw mourners lead a conga line to celebrate the
deceased's life while attendees of another funeral dressed as clowns to add personal humour to the ceremony. And in a final nod to the Christmas spirit, one individual requested to be
laid to rest dressed as Father Christmas, complete with a beard. The requests show that people are clearly making their funerals as unique as their lives. THE TOP 10 MOST UNUSUAL FUNERAL
REQUESTS 1. Pork pies in the flowers 2. Have the coffin strapped to the roof of a Mini 3. Star Wars-themed service 4. A 90-year-old naturist requested to be laid to rest in the nude, with
mourners also attending without clothes 5. Lead the congregation with the conga 6. The deceased requested to be laid to rest dressed as Father Christmas, complete with a beard 7. Arrive in
an American rig lorry 8. Fruit Pastilles floral tribute and Fruit Pastilles for everyone at the service 9. A family requested the funeral director lead the service dressed as Gandalf from
The Lord of the Rings Article continues below 10. Have everyone dress up as clowns for the service JOIN THE DAILY RECORD WHATSAPP COMMUNITY! Get the latest news sent straight to your
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