A CREMATORIUM is set to broadcast services live on the internet for mourners unable to make it to funerals.

Plans at Burnley’s crematorium would also see a music system and a big video screen installed outside the chapel.

The upgrades are expected to be approved next week making Burnley the first town in Lancashire to use the technology.

A Burnley council spokesman, said: “With the video technology people will be able to register to view a stream of the service from any computer.

“It would mean the proverbial Great Aunt Mabel who emigrated to Australia would be able to view in real time the service for a relative back in Burnley.”

Mourners will also be able to choose from hundreds of hymns, pop songs and classical favourites for their dearly departed if the new music system is installed at the Rossendale Road site.

In addition a big screen would be installed outside of the main chapel for larger services, so mourners do not feel excluded from the proceedings.

Around 50 funerals per year exceed the capacity of the small chapel in the crematoriums grounds, councillors have been told.

Councillor Jeff Sumner, the executive member responsible for the crematorium, said: “One proposal is to introduce an option for families, which they could use if they want, to video the service and ‘stream’ it live online.

“This would allow someone who couldn’t attend the service, but who wanted to be part of it, to watch it online.

“The video would only be available via a password-protected site so only those family and friends with the password would be able to see it.

“These proposals follow extensive work to replace the cremators and the installation of equipment to reduce emissions.”

The minister will be able to control music at the service using a touch-screen system and the words can be flashed onto a nearby screen.

Last year a project began to update the two main ovens on site, with a budget of around £855,000 allocated.

But around £25,000 has been left over from a contingency fund and is now being earmarked for the improvement works.

New paving, costing £8,000, is also destined for outside the chapel, to replace a roadway damaged by hearses down the years. Replacement curtains and curtain tracks costing £5,500 are also part of the plans.

The company which offers the technology is Wesley Music, based in Kettering.

They have installed it at several crematoriums, but none in Lancashire.