Sunderland woman who scattered her husband's ashes by drone says 'it was beautiful and dignified'

Terena Clerkin, 55, chose the “beautiful and dignified” service for her late husband Dave, 58, who was an avid aviation fan.

She thought the aerial ceremony would be a fitting farewell for the grandad, who came from an RAF family and loved attending air shows.

A year to the day after his funeral, the family watched Dave's ashes drift through the sky having been released by a drone, from Aerial Ashes, close to Souter Lighthouse, in Whitburn.

Terena, from Sunderland, said: "It was a beautiful morning with a clear blue sky.

“We all gathered on the clifftops to see the drone fly and after a couple of minutes, the container opened and his ashes were scattered.

“There was a lovely trail of them drifting through the sky. It was so peaceful.

“It is such a dignified and beautiful way of saying your final goodbye to a loved one.”

Aerial Ashes, run by Matt Young, offers services from £1,495 and drops remains from around a height of 50 to 100 feet.

Dave was 57 when he was diagnosed with a glioma brain tumour close to his optic nerve, having initially had a "haze" across the vision in his eye.

Dave and Terena had been together since 1998, with the plastics fabricator proposing on Christmas Day 2023 – but his diagnosis meant they brought their wedding forward.

Dave had radiotherapy the day before his wedding day but Terena said it did not stop him celebrating with her and all the family.

He died just eight months after his diagnosis.

Terena said: "We waited a year to scatter Dave's ashes and I wanted the right location.

“I've scattered other people's ashes before and while it's fine, you always get that bit where they hit you in the face or someone could walk over them.

“I had scattered my dad's ashes at sea because he'd been in the Navy and I wanted to do something similar for Dave.

“We didn't discuss the drone before he died. I wanted something that was specific to him, something he would have loved.”

Dave's ashes were scattered as the sun rose and afterwards, the family had a celebration in a nearby park with Dave's grandchildren releasing “bubbles up into heaven” and a picnic of his favourite foods.

Terena chose Souter Lighthouse as Dave's mum Maryon and dad Mike had their ashes scattered along the coast between South Shields and Roker, just a short distance away.

Dave had said he wanted to be where his parents were – and it was a stone's throw away from the Sunderland International Airshow, which Dave regularly attended.

Terena added: “Everyone I spoke to said they thought it was appropriate and fitting for Dave.”

Mr Young said: “We can't take people's grief away, but we can give them the closure of a dignified ceremony. There's no pressure on the family for them to scatter the ashes – they can concentrate on being in the moment.

“The ashes make a plume in the sky that slowly disappears in front of you. Many of our customers tell us it feels symbolic of going to heaven.”