Bosses at a Kent crematorium have issued a warning over personal items being placed in coffins which could lead to safety or environmental risks.

The Crematorium and Memorial Group (CMG), which operates Hawkinge Crematorium near Folkestone as well as others across the country, say chocolate, alcohol, mobile phones, golf clubs and balls, fishing rods, a takeaway meal and a computer game have all been placed in coffins prior to cremation.

But the firm says combustible items such as alcohol, mobile phones or battery-powered devices can all cause an explosion if cremated.

Hard objects such as golf or bowling balls can be propelled during the cremation process causing substantial damage to the equipment.

In addition, plastics used to manufacture items such as fishing rods and sporting goods can emit poisonous fumes once set alight.

The company is therefore asking families not to leave personal items in the coffin without asking first.

They are also providing advice on alternative ways that a family can personalise a funeral.

Mementoes such as wooden rosary beads, unframed photographs, religious texts or handwritten tributes on paper or card can all be left in the coffin.

CMG’s technical services manager, Tony Davidson, said: "We work with local funeral directors to help families have a respectful funeral for their loved one.

"We understand that mourners may wish to leave items in the coffin, but we respectfully ask that they talk to us or their funeral director about alternative ways of personalising the funeral.

"The worse case scenario is that these items damage the cremator or injure a colleague causing a delay to other family’s funerals.

"Clearly nobody would want this to happen."

Brendan Day, secretary at The Federation of Burial & Cremation Authority, added: "For many years we have provided guidance to funeral directors on items which should not be placed in coffins with the deceased.

"We recognise the importance of personalising a funeral, however, to protect the environment and crematorium staff it is necessary to exclude items which have the potential to produce harmful emissions and even explosions."

CMG also advises that jewellery and medals can also be cremated but cannot be recovered afterwards. It advises that families don't leave items of sentimental or financial value in the coffin that they wish to keep and to be sure to remind their funeral director to remove any items before cremation takes place.

Staff at the crematorium are not legally permitted to open a coffin once it is placed in the chapel prior to the service.

Crematorium manager, Sue Goodwin, said: "There are a number of alternative ways we can help a family to personalise the funeral.

"We recognise the importance of personalising a funeral, however, to protect the environment and crematorium staff it is necessary to exclude items which have the potential to produce harmful emissions and even explosions..."

"Our state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment has access to thousands of pieces of recorded music from traditional hymns to classical masterpieces to the latest pop or rock artists.

"We can also upload family photographs or home movies, and these can be played throughout the service to provide memories for the entire congregation.

"Flowers from the family’s garden can be just as meaningful. Mourners can also add a personal touch by writing a special memory or tribute on paper and including this in the coffin.

"If a family wished to include a small personal item with the ashes when they purchase a memorial, we would encourage them to talk to us about this option."

Placing personal items with loved ones who have died is a custom that dates back thousands of years and exists throughout many cultures.

Historians have discovered that ancient Egyptians, Romans, Vikings and Anglo-Saxons all did this.

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