Mum and Dad wanted to go out with a bang: Couple’s final wish fulfilled as ashes sent into sky in fireworks funeral

LARGER than life Alex Hay always dreamed of a spectacular send-off.

And he and his late wife Joan got exactly that when their ashes were sent out over the Moray Firth in a huge fireworks display.

The unusual goodbye – held on Cullen beach – saw the pair’s remains blasted into the night sky to the sound of rock band Pink Floyd.

Meanwhile, their family hired a fish and chip van to serve suppers on the sand and toasted the pair with Alex’s favourite single malt.

It was a striking farewell to Alex, 62, and his wife of 44 years, Joan, 63, who died six months before her husband.

Their loving family took care to carry out Alex’s wishes to the letter.

Daughter Evelyn Lawson, 43, a care home manager, said: “It was just a thing he’d said ever since we were young.

“He wanted his ashes to be fired out over Cullen Bay for as long as I can remember.

“Mum was quite happy with it.

“They were a pair. Mum knew what was going to happen with the fireworks.”

Her brother Peter, 41, a telephone engineer, said: “It was a general assumption that mum was going to be blasted into the night sky with him.”

But carrying out Alex’s explosive plan was not without its difficulties.

At the family home in the cliff-top former fishing village of Portknockie, Evelyn said: “It wasn’t straightforward. The first two fireworks companies we approached said ‘no way’ and refused to do it.

“The third one in Inverurie said ‘no bother’, so it packed mum and dad’s ashes into the firework display.

“We had two huge rockets and all the other fireworks. The whole thing lasted for five minutes. It was really spectacular. It’s amazing how many people have come up to me since and said: ‘Oh. What a good idea. That’s what I’ll be doing when my time comes.’”

Evelyn’s husband, Stephen, an accountant, said: “It was just like Alex would have wanted. There was around 20 family and the same amount of friends there.”

The musical playlist was impressive … My Generation, The Who; Gimmie Shelter, The Rolling Stones; Waterloo Sunset, The Kinks; Sunshine of your Love, Cream; Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan; Let it Grow, Eric Clapton; Handle with Care, The Traveling Wilburys; Hi Ho Silver Lining, Jeff Beck; and, of course, Pink Floyd’s The Great Gig in the Sky.

Alex had always said that he would like the family to have a barbecue at the same time.

In this the family deviated, just a little, from his masterplan.

Peter said: “We did not have the barbecue but we hired a fish and chip van for the night. It worked a treat and I’m sure dad would have approved.”

The food was supplied by mobile chippie “The Codfather – fish and chips to die for”. Owner Colin Halley said yesterday: “I could scarcely believe it when the family phoned up to book us. I thought it was a wind-up.”

He wrote on his website: “A big thank you to the Hay family in Cullen, for asking for our services at Cullen beach feeding them all, while sending their beloved Alex Hay up in a firework.

“Yes, folks, his ashes were put in a rocket and fired over his beloved Cullen Bay.

“RIP Alex, fae the codfather and team”.

It was a fine night with the wind blowing the ashes along the coast to Banff, Alex’s home town.

As well as enjoying their fish suppers, guests toasted Alex and Joan from their carry-outs and a bottle of Aberlour – Alex’s favourite.

Tragedy struck the family on January 27 last year when mother of two and grandmother of three, Joan, died of cancer.

Then on July 29 Alex collapsed and died from a heart attack in the car park of his local, the Crannoch, in Cullen. He’d been on the way to have his usual dram, and had £500 and 69p in his pocket. Evelyn explained: “The 69p was for the packet of peanuts he always had. He was old school and always dealt in cash.”

The £500 was used for the wake in the local.

Alex, a former newspaper photographer and garage owner in Cullen, was cremated in a private family ceremony at Moray Crematorium, Broadley near Buckie.

There was a secular memorial service later at the Hall Kirk in Cullen with two pipers.

More than 200 people attended to pay their respects and £1020 was raised for the Air Ambulance.