ROBBIE Williams, Bette Midler, Frank Sinatra and Celine Dion have all made appearances at Worcester funerals, thanks to a unique city council initiative.

Virtually any music requests for funerals can now be catered for at the click of a button as broadband internet connections are installed as part of the £1m improvements at Astwood Crematorium.

Staff will have access to a vast library of music at their fingertips thanks to the new technology.

"Attitudes are changing and young people particularly know what they want to hear," said parks and cemeteries manager Ian Yates.

"If they have specified a particular song that meant something to them in life, we feel we should do what we can to accommodate those wishes.

"People should have the choice of being remembered in the way they would like to be remembered."

The move has had a lukewarm reception among some of the more traditional funeral directors, who feel the council has pushed the boundaries too far.

"Ultimately it is the public's choice," Mr Yates said. "Although objections would be raised if the choice was completely inappropriate."

However, he said traditional favourites like Abide With Me and The Lord is My Shepherd were still popular with Worcester mourners.

Handel's Largo, Elgar's Nimrod and Pachelbel's Canon in D are the most often chosen classical pieces and among the more modern tunes selected are Angels by Robbie Williams, My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion and Eva Cassidy's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

However, staff at Astwood Cemetery have also had some slightly odder choices including Bat Out of Hell by Meatloaf, Rockin' All Over the World, by Status Quo, and The Drugs Don't Work by The Verve.