Christine and David Murphy bring nearly 50 years of combined experience in funeral directing to their new business in Hythe.

The couple have set up the Waterside Funeral Home in a former antique shop in the Marsh.

After they took over the premises, they discovered that their plans for the shop fitted in well with its history.

David said: "We noticed on the deeds that, years ago, this building was the local coffin-makers' workshop, run by a funeral director called Ebenezer.

"His former chapel of rest, just a hundred yards from our office, is now Ebenezer's Restaurant."

David is a Southampton man who has spent most of his working life in and around the city.

For Christine, moving to the Waterside represents a homecoming - she used to attend Hythe Primary and Noadswood schools, and her father, Steve Ryterski, had served as a fireman based in Hythe.

Christine worked with various companies around Totton and South-ampton before moving into funeral directing in 1983, when she took care of an office in Totton for two weeks.

She said: "Little did I know then how satisfying this job could be - working with people in their time of need. Now I would do nothing else. It has given me the opportunity to express the caring side of my nature."

David is also keen to make a positive contribution to the community with their new venture.

He said: "We want to give our window to local charities to use for free displays for a month at a time.

"We welcome them getting in touch with us. The local funeral director's is an important part of a community.

"We want to give something back and this is one way we can help."

* To put a charity display in the window of the Waterside Funeral Home, ring David or Christine on 023 8084 0202.