Kirstie Allsopp buried her mother in the garden

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Louise Thomas

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Kirstie Allsopp buried her mother in her parents’ back garden, in accordance with her wishes.

The television presenter said that, curiously, she was keen to be near the grave of the family pony.

Fiona Hindlip died of breast cancer in January 2014, aged 66. She prepared for her death in advance, even ordering a wicker coffin which she kept in the attic.

“When my sister went to get the Christmas decorations she found it – which was a bit of a shock,” Allsopp told the Times.

“There was always a lot of very dark humour in our house. When Mum was alive her grave was dug so it was all ready. She wanted to be near Benji, our old pony’s grave.”

It is legal to be buried on your own property, as long as you own it in entirety and the burial plot is far enough from a ditch or water source to meet Environment Agency rules. The person responsible must also be in possession of a certificate of authority for burial and create a simple burial register.

Allsopp said that her mother was buried within 24 hours of her death.

“We buried her in the garden the next day,” she said. “We lifted her into the wicker coffin and we put her on the trailer on the back of the tractor and drove her up the garden.

“It was very important for her that it was very small. No strangers were involved of any kind, we had to do absolutely everything. For Mum, it was all to do with discretion and privacy.”

Rosie Inman-Cook, who runs the Natural Death Centre, said that natural or home funerals are significantly cheaper than one organised by funeral directors and are becoming increasingly popular.

Some now choose to keep their relative’s body at home, rather than at a morgue, before the funeral.

“There is a movement now for people taking back control,” said Ms Inman-Cook.