League of Gentleman fan Mike Stubbs had ‘Bastard’ wreath on his hearse in Cumbria. (Picture: Final Journey Funerals)

A dying Carlisle man had the last laugh with his unusual funeral wreath.

 Mike Stubbs’ dying wish was inspired by the League of Gentlemen and raised a smile in the town as people stopped and laughed as they watched the hearse head to the crematorium on Thursday.
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Comedy fan Mike, who died of cancer, had time to plan his own funeral and it certainly made its mark with thousands of people sharing a picture of the hearse on social media.

Final Journey Funerals in Carlisle organised the funeral, Tracy Lazonby, from the firm, said: ‘He certainly got the whole city laughing and talking. He loved comedy and he loved this sketch.’

The company posted a picture of the hearse, after someone had posted a picture of it in the town, and a statement, it said: ‘An unusual one today – which we feel requires a little explanation. A request from a dying man with a cheeky sense of humour to replicate his favourite scene from the League of Gentleman TV show at his own funeral.

‘He was very much loved by his family and friends and got the last laugh, just like he wanted.’

Thousands of people liked and shared the statement on Facebook and Twitter.

She said: ‘I just thought I’d better explain that’s why I posted an explanation.

‘When Mike’s family made his funeral arrangements they didn’t think it would be possible to have flowers spelling out that word but anything is possible.

‘They didn’t want to cause offence and they were bothered about getting into trouble but they needn’t have worried. He was a fan of the show and it made him laugh.

‘Because he’d been ill he had time to plan his funeral and this was what he wanted. His family honoured that.’

Claire Harkness wrote on Facebook: ‘This had the whole of Carlisle talking today, love it.‘

Mike Brennan added: ‘He was our next door neighbour Mike Stubbs. You couldn’t wish to have met a lovelier guy, great sense of humour, as everyone can see. God bless, Mike. Privilege to have known you. RIP.’
Kerry Anne said: ‘This is brilliant. Sense of humour still flowing through one last time. Rip matey.’

The post also got people reminscing about other wacky funerals in Cumbria.

Frauke Thornton wrote: I went to an amazing funeral in Cumbria once where the lady was brought into the crematorium in a card board coffin dressed with a Smirnoff vodka bottle flower wreath to the tune of ‘hey big spender’ it was a terrific celebration of her life with smiles and tears and it reflected her spirits when she was alive

Yana McEwan added: ‘My dad wanted cheerio for his flowers so when he passed away I made sure that’s what he got. We had some strange looks driving through town.’

The floral funeral arrangement was made by Currock’s Edmondson’s Florist and donations at the funeral were collected for Cancer Research UK, Mike died on July 18.

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