Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Funeral costs surge to £4k
THE price of dying has risen to more than £4,000 in a year, a report reveals.
Standard funeral costs are up by 1.7% to an average of £4,184 while a bespoke ceremony is typically 10% higher at £6,716.
Sunlife’s report shows a quarter of families who arranged funerals between February and June last year said the death was Covid-19 related.
The insurer’s Ian Atkinson said: “There is an increasing trend for more personalised funerals.”
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A LETTER from Sir Paul Mccartney to a teenage fan from 58 years ago has sold for £4,500.
Sir Paul, now 78, wrote the letter in August 1963, shortly before the Fab Four played six nights at the Gaumont theatre, Bournemouth, on their UK tour.
The rocker also sketched the Beatles’ first logo – a “B” – on the envelope.
Fan Ann Bennett, 16, had sent the chart-toppers a 20ft-long list of what she loved about them.
Macca replied in a note, signed “Paul xxx”, saying: “Thanks for your letter. Sorry this one won’t be as long as yours but we’ve got to go on stage soon. Anyway – thanks again.”
It was sold by a private collector through RR Auction, of Boston, US.
Auctioneer Bobby Livingston said: “Handwritten material by any member of the Beatles is quite rare and desirable.”