The funeral business has traditionally been a men-only affair with women undertakers a real rarity.

But women are often particularly good at dealing directly with the grief of people who have just lost loved ones.

Teresa Baker has made sure that in her firm everyone who deals directly with bereaved people is female.

The rapid expansion of her business has shown many people prefer to cry on the shoulder of a woman at a time of great emotion.

Her firm, like others, still employs male chauffeurs and pallbearers.

Perhaps that will be the next tradition to go since there's no reason why women shouldn't do those jobs just as well.