A FUNERAL director in Whitehaven has created a remembrance tree. 

Margrett and John of Yeowart Funeral Directors have been running their business for decades and are well-known faces around the town. 

Last year, somebody suggested they put a tree in their memorial garden where people could hang plaques in memory of their loved ones. 

The idea took off and they have decided to run with the initiative again this Christmas. 

Mr Yeowart said: "We've been running the funeral business since 1986, we were carriage master’s from 1956 onwards. 

"In the area, there were nine funeral directors, and we did the hearse and the limousines for the whole lot. 

"As the years went by and they retired or passed away it finished that we had all the gear but nothing to do with it. 

"That's when we started doing the funeral directing in March of 1986 after being carriage master’s for 30 years, so we've been at it since then. 

"It was a natural progression, that was how it started."

The remembrance tree sits in the memorial garden next to the funeral parlour in the three weeks leading up to Christmas. 

People can come and write what they want on a plaque and place it on the tree. 

The memorial area also has a rose garden where around 25 people's ashes are buried. 

On the wall surrounding the memorial space are plaques of those who have passed away. 

The area provides those who have lost loved ones and friends with a quiet space where they can come along to remember them. 

John and Margrett explained that there is also a remembrance book in the chapel where the names of the deceased are written. 

They said that often on anniversaries relatives will come to the chapel and look through the book. 

Mr Yeowart continued: "For nine years we also did work for the coroner, if anybody passes away suddenly at home the paramedics are called, who contact the police and then get the coroner's undertaker. 

"We did it for seven years, we'd go round and pick up the deceased and take them to the mortuary. 

"It still happens now but there's a contractor, he does nothing else but work for the coroner."