Undertaker begins broadcasting funerals over the Internet

An undertaker in Northern Ireland has begun broadcasting funerals over the internet so that people can mourn a deceased loved one no matter where in the world they are at the time of the funeral.

S Clark and Son funeral directors installed cameras and microphones throughout the churches attached to their funeral home and make the service available as a free optional extra in the funeral package. The broadcast is protected with a password and mourners anywhere in the world can log in.

"Life moves fast - we’re just trying to adapt to the changing needs of our world," said Jim Clarke, who came up with the idea after completing a computer course at the age of 80.

"There are families living abroad who can’t afford to fly to funerals, or people who are too sick to go, or busy people who can’t get the time off work," he told the BBC.

"Our internet option means they get to become part of a grieving process they might have missed out on."