Jan Hurst . . . delighted with her mothers secular funeral service. INSET Mum Betty Talbot SECULAR CEREMONY - DEATH :Funerals may not usually be a joyous event but Jan Hurst says her mother's ceremony was wonderful.

Betty Talbot died in November last year, aged 88, and Jan knew immediately that she wanted a secular service to say goodbye to her mum.

Jan, 58, of Beach Lea, Broad Blunsdon, said: "We had a mix of people at mum's funeral aged from eight to 88, both religious and non-religious and everyone said it was a marvellous service.

"My uncle, who is in his 80s, even said it was the best funeral he had ever been to because it was so personal.

"The service wasn't at all gloomy or doleful but remembered and celebrated mum's life, as opposed to what may happen after death."

Jan, who is a team manger of Swindon Borough Coun-cil's Older People Services, first considered a secular ceremony after the death of a close friend.

She said: "Only a few months before mum died a good friend of ours died, aged just 48.

"Judith Stares conducted her humanist funeral and we felt as though we were celebrating her life. It felt a privilege to have known her and to have been part of her life, rather than mourning her death.

"I don't know if it's the humanism or the fact that Judith is so good at the services. I think it must be half and half.

"I'd recommend this type of ceremony to anyone and I've already told my family I'd like a secular service at my own funeral."

Betty was cremated at Swindon crematorium, in Kingsdown.

Jan will sprinkle her ashes, along with her father's, in Southampton where they were both from.