Carl's way leaves black in the shade.

Byline: By Robert Brooks 

Whether they want an oriental bamboo coffin, a burial at sea or a jazz band to lead the funeral cortege, Carl Marlow is determined his customers will have the final say.

The 35-year-old, who works from Park Road, Wallsend, says his mother's death seven years ago drastically changed his approach to life.

That is why he has launched his alternative funeral service, called Go As You Please.

With bespoke burials and cremations on offer, Carl aims to ensure any big send-off is a celebration of life, not just a sorrowful formality. When Carl decided to take the self- employment route he contacted the Ashington branch of InBiz - the national business support organisation that helps people move from unemployment to self-employment.

And with the help of the InBiz business adviser and a Government New Deal 25+ programme, he's now well on his way.

Carl, who used to run a computer business, said: "I'm providing a different kind of service that will not cost more than a traditional funeral and which should make those who are left behind feel so much better.

"I want to provide funerals that reflect a person's life, so if someone comes to me asking me to lay on a jazz concert, reggae music, or fireworks, I can do it." Many of his ideas, he said, came from travelling around the world over the last seven years, in which he visited Indonesia and other far-flung lands.

He said: "People in Britain have a very conventional view on what a funeral should be, but if you travel elsewhere in the world you see attitudes change a great deal.

"Hopefully this will offer people an alternative which could help them more in coming to terms with the loss of a loved one.

"My mum died at 56 and what her death did is to make me understand life better."

InBiz area manager Stephen McQuiggin said: "Carl passionately believes that a whole new approach is needed to the way we handle death and he has spent years thinking about it.

"We hope that his new business will succeed, and that he will get personal satisfaction through helping others through a difficult experience."