Going out with a bang

Phillip Pullman had to work quite hard to achieve the firework display that he wanted for his stepfather and he succeeded thanks to a favour from a friend. After I received Phillip's account,I rang around a number of fireworks companies and couldn't find anyone that would agree to do it. But today, there is a UK company which does nothing but funeral ashes as fireworks so if Phillip does choose to do it for himself, he will probably find it easier to arrange. The company is Heaven Above Fireworks (www.heavensabovefireworks.com) and Fergus Jamieson set it up after hearing an item on John Peel's Home Front on Radio 4. He heard a contributor saying how much they would like to be turned into a firework and he thought, why not? Thus was born a business opportunity.

I asked Fergus why he thought fireworks were a good idea for ashes. "It's important to grieve" he says, "but it's important to look back and to celebrate all the wonderful things in people's lives. No one leaves a firework display without a smile on their face."

Interestingly, Fergus says that over a half of the calls he receives are from people planning their own funeral. I guess if you don't tell people what you want, people naturally go back to default mode and give you a traditional send off, so if you want something different, you need to plan it yourself.

But now the shopping begins. Costs start at about £900. The only thing you can't do is go up in a single rocket...that's too risky. You can choose what size and style of display you would prefer. You can have a green and white display if you're Irish or a red, white and blue one if you're a Brit. Some people want a small display that they can set off themselves in the back garden. Some want a giant display with all bells ringing. You can choose between a mixed display, perhaps even with your name written in lights. Or you can choose a noisy, rocket based one so that you really go out with a bang.

This time, my mum is really enthusiastic. "Do it anywhere you like, anywhere that suits you." She like the idea that everyone would have to smile. They could chomp on their baked potatoes and knock back their wine and lift their heads up to the night sky and wave goodbye.