Only Fools and Horses funeral a ‘unique tribute’

A local man had a “lovely jubbly” and “cushty” send-off when he was taken to his funeral in a bright yellow three-wheeler hearse.

Described as a “real joker”, he made his final journey to North Wiltshire Crematorium in a replica of the car driven by Del Boy Trotter in BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses.

In a bid to recreate one of the sitcom’s most iconic scenes, undertakers were replaced by Batman and Robin running alongside his coffin as the hearse wheeled into the Swindon crematorium.

Rebecca Hillier, from Hillier Funeral Service who organised the tribute, said: “To have people sort of smiling and remembering him as he approached the crematorium – at the saddest moment – it was lovely.”

She added although it was a “fairly unique” funeral, “things are changing so much”.

“We get asked a lot: ‘what’s the norm, what do people usually have?’ and I always say to families it’s not what’s the norm – it’s what you want,” she said.

“Gone are the days of the Victorian funerals where everybody was sombre and wearing black. We’re finding now funerals have become a real celebration of people’s lives.”