Thaindian News

London, Dec 2 (ANI): A new survey has found that an estimated 1.5 million Britons would like their mobile phones to be placed inside their coffin.

For women, other priorities include a cuddly toy and a picture of a family pet, reports the Daily Mail.

And for men, the surprising list also includes a bottle of drink, a national flag and a packet of cigarettes.

The survey confirms a radical shift from the traditional idea of funerals with people increasingly seeing them as a celebration of life, rather than a time for tears.

Today, families can pick from a range of coffins, which might be decorated with the colours of a football team or made of green materials such as bamboo or wicker.

While burial options include woodland parks as well as churchyards or a crematorium.

For men, the bible or some other religious item was placed in ninth place. That put it just above a pack of cigarettes and below a picture of a family pet and mobile phone.

Top of the list for men was a photo of a loved one, while a bottle of alcohol was placed in third.

For women, the bible was placed in seventh position, which was below a photo of a pet and a cuddly toy.

The choice of clothes is also important to many people. Some 14per cent wanted a favourite outfit, one person chose a George Michael tour t-shirt, while another went for a wetsuit.

Four per cent of Scots said they would like to be buried or cremated in their national dress.

Managing Director of Funeral Planning for Co-op, which is the UK’s largest funeral plan provider, Ian Mackie, said: “In recent years there has been a move away from the traditional set format of the funeral.

“People are now asking for a more individual ceremony that reflects the life of the person who has died,” Mackie said.

The survey was commissioned by the Post Office financial services, which said people need to plan their funerals, rather than leave loved ones to guess what they would like. (ANI)