'Bong, another one bites the dust, bong'

The bongs of News at Ten have heralded disasters, new governments and the births of pandas. To these can now be added coffins.

Bizarrely, the theme tune for the ITN bulletin has taken its place on the playlist of popular music for funerals. Rarely can the phrase "And, finally..." have been more apt.

A survey by Co-operative Funeral Services, Britain's biggest network of undertakers, has laid bare the desires of the deceased and the bereaved to devise bespoke funeral ceremonies featuring an eclectic range of pop music accompaniments.

They may not be to everyone's tastes, but the Prodigy's 'Firestarter' and 'Another One Bites the Dust' by Queen were also among the tunes that had been selected to sum up the achievements of loved ones, the Co-op said.

Elsewhere on the Co-op's list were the predictable, (Whitney Houston, 'I Will Always Love You') the well-worn, (Righteous Brothers, 'Unchained Melody') and the confusing (Wham, 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go').

The most popular was 'Wind Beneath My Wings' by Bette Midler, from the film Beaches. Another track from a film is at number two, Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On' from Titanic.

Unsurprisingly, since Elton John's rendition at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, his 'Candle in the Wind' is number seven.