Mourners are turning to brightly-painted and eco-friendly coffins for their loved ones, according to a Sussex funeral director.

Co-operative Funeralcare in Brighton said the popularity of cardboard and bamboo coffins has doubled in the past year.

Those painted in bright colours, such as in their football team's colours, are also being used, said Simon Jefferies of the London Road branch.

Mr Jefferies said: "We have had people paint pictures on the sides of coffins and quite recently somebody covered one with a lot of newspaper cuttings about the person.

"If someone was a Brighton and Hove Albion fan, we could paint it in blue and white stripes.

Co-op is negotiating with football clubs about the rights to use club badges on the coffins. They have already signed up Blackburn Rovers."

He said there was a growing demand for eco-friendly coffins, which break down much faster in the earth, and can be used for woodland burials.

Mr Jefferies said: "Cardboard is a little more expensive because we have to go to a different supplier.

"After about 80 years, all wood breaks down. But these do so more quickly.

"Woodland burials using a coffin made from alternative materials accounted for up to ten per cent of our burials in the past 12 months.

"That compares with about five per cent between June 2001 and June 2002."

Friday June 27, 2003