It's not all doom and gloom: Funeral director reveals most jaw-dropping moments from his career

David Collingwood entered the funeral industry aged nine when he washed hearses

David Collingwood's colleagues take part in a super hero themed service

A veteran funeral director has recalled the most remarkable moments in his career, including when the sole of his shoe detached while he carried a coffin down a church aisle.

David Collingwood, 48, from Bradford West Yorkshire is the Co-Op Funeralcare’s Head of Operations in the North of England, and has been working in the funeral industry since he was aged nine, when he washed hearses. His first official role was as a funeral director and embalmer.

“I think from when I first caught site of the hearses and understood the role of a funeral director I knew it was right for me,” he told The Independent.

“As a young boy I considered being a doctor like my dad, but being exposed to the industry and some truly inspirational people at such a young age, I saw how funeral professionals s support families at what can be the most difficult time for them. Being able to care and provide a fitting unique tribute to a person’s life, there’s no greater reward than that. I was also a bit rubbish at chemistry so knew from early on that medicine was definitely not for me.”

But the business isn’t all doom and gloom, Collingwood stresses.

“I’d say the most common misconception of the industry is that funerals are sad and impersonal occasions where mourners where dark clothing and the hearses are black. This is not the case. What we’re now seeing is a culture shift across the industry,” he says.

Two thirds of UK adults want their funerals to be a celebration of life rather than a sombre occasion, and funerals are unique tributes to a person’s life. And Collingwood spends far more time with the living than the dead.

“We spend time with families to fully understand what their late loved one was like – their work, hobbies and interests. As a funeral director I was always getting into conversations with new people I’d meet as they would often say they couldn’t do my job as they couldn’t be sad all the time. It was great to be able to share that I smiled more on funerals than I did in my normal daily life. Not smiles of fun but smiles of reassurance to my main mourners as they embarked on one of the most difficult days of their lives. My job is to see them through the funeral and to help them start to come to terms with and ultimately live with their grief.”

In the years that Collingwood has been in the trade, one his most memorable moments was when he carried a coffin into a crematorium with three other bearers.

“Unfortunately the sole of my shoe decided to detach itself from my shoe from the tip of my shoe but remained attached at the heel. In full view of the mourners I had to adopt a very exaggerated high lift of my leg for every step, like Monty Python’s Ministry of Funny Walks sketch, which meant a very oddly balanced carry and an unbearably loud noise as the sole hit the floor every time. My colleagues were extremely professional until we exited side left and then they fell about laughing.”

But Collingwood has seen great strength and bravery in his colleagues in a tough business, too.

"A most recent example being the actions of two of my team who were on a call for the coroner one evening. On their journey they came across a serious road traffic incident where a married couple had just been knocked over. The car had stopped but the cars behind simply drove around the prone couple. My colleagues blocked the road after calling an ambulance. They comforted the couple as best they could and held one person as they passed away before the emergency services were able to attend. Once they were released from the scene they still went about their duties.

"Unbelievably later that evening a call came in from the police with a request to transfer the person to the mortuary and my two brilliant colleagues chose to attend themselves as they felt it was their duty. I’ve thanked them both personally but I still don’t think they realise what an incredible thing they did that night."

As a name in the funeral world, Collingwood plans to write a book about his decades of experience. Last year, he was featured in Chris Evans' book Call the Midlife about death and dying.

"I rabbited on for ages about my passion for this profession, and about how positive a well-planned and thought out funeral could be," he says. "I didn’t think much more about it. Instead of a brief mention in a sentence Chris wrote pages on my ramblings. It’s my claim to fame. He even called me the Funeral King! If anyone would like a copy I’m pretty sure my Mum still has loads in the garage."