A town council in Manchester, England has come up with a novel idea to help mourners freezing in keep warm by using the heat generated from cremating their loved ones.

Tameside Council said they will try the idea at the will be tried at the Dukinfield Crematorium, which is notorious for freezing temperatures even during services.

Town officials believe the heat generated in cremation will be enough to power the boiler and light the chapel, though admitting that the practice is a "sensitive" issue.

They however, vowed to consult clergy and the wider community before the whole idea is implemented.

"I'm not sure how people will react, but we don't want to upset anyone. We will carry out full consultation with priests, vicars and the public before a decision is taken," Robin Monk, environment chief of Tameside Council, said.

But the Rev Vernon Marshall, of Old Chapel, is amenable to the idea.

"As a final act of generosity, it's a lovely way for the dead to provide comfort for the living at a difficult time," Marshall said.