IN A strange role reversal, death will be at Hampshire’s door this autumn.

This September the Ideal Death Show will bring Britain’s top morticians to Winchester to discuss the finer points of funerals and how to make them special.

The three-day exhibition will feature lectures, burial demonstrations and what is billed as the ‘Oscars of the UK funeral trade’.

Industry delegates will feast their eyes on a huge range coffins, hearses – and even some tastey funeral cake.

Organiser Brian Jenner said: “During the day we’ve got a yurt in the Abbey park.

 “People go to a death cafe – they drink coffee and eat cake and discuss their own mortality.”

The cafe is designed to help people speak openly and honestly about the often frightening subject.

Mr Jenner hopes visitors will come away with more than a shot of dark British humour.

Daily Echo:

Daily Echo:

Daily Echo: Dressing a body for burial demonstration.

Mr Jenner said: “It’s encouraging people to have a conversation about death rather than being surprised by it and being hit by huge funeral bills.

“Each year it’s always been a struggle to engage the public with death. It’s not something the public wants to deal with.”

The city will also play host to the fifth Good Funeral Awards, presented by former Dad’s Army star Ian Lavender (pictured below).

Daily Echo:

Winners receive a trophy of Anubis, the Egyptian god of death.

Prizes include gravedigger of the year, crematorium attendant of the year and the Blossom d’Amour award for funeral floristry.

Organisers were attracted to the city in part because of Winchester University – which offers a Master’s in death, religion and culture – and the Natural Death Centre, a funeral advice charity in nearby Twyford.

But Mr Jenner said it’s Winchester’s moral compass which makes it the best place.

He said:“One of the reasons we’re coming to Winchester is they’re slightly better educated and slightly more concerned to do the right thing, whereas in Bournemouth we really struggled.

“All the local funeral directors were opposed and said it was frivolous.”

The Ideal Death Show runs from September 4-6 in St John’s House, Winchester and the Good Funeral Awards take place at Winchester University’s King Alfred Campus on September 5.

Early bird weekend tickets are on sale for £75 until July 1.