BEREAVED families in the region are increasingly turning to movie soundtracks to help them say goodbye to loved ones.

According to the North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-operative Funeral Service, more people are trying to personalise funeral services by ignoring hymns and classical music in favour of pop songs -and music inspired by movies is the most popular.

The most requested is Bette Midler's Wind Beneath My Wings, taken from the 1988 film Beaches.

Eva Cassidy's version of the Wizard of Oz classic Somewhere Over the Rainbow is second favourite, while Celine Dion's Titanic theme, My Heart Will Go On, is the third most popular.

The Righteous Brothers' Unchained Melody, which featured in Ghost, and Whitney Houston's version of I Will Always Love You are also in the top ten.

Other popular choices, not inspired by the big screen, include Angels by Robbie Williams, Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong, and My Way, by Frank Sinatra.

Hymns and classical pieces however, still account for most send-offs.

Favourites include Abide With Me, The Lord's My Shepherd and The Old Rugged Cross.

The top ten modern songs for funerals in the North East are:

1: Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler

2: Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Eva Cassidy

3: My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion

4: Angels, Robbie Williams

5: Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong

6: Unchained Melody, Righteous Brothers

7: Fields of Gold, Eva Cassidy

8: My Way, Frank Sinatra

9: Candle in the Wind, Elton John

10: I Will Always Love you, Whitney Houston

The top ten religious pieces for funerals in the North-East are:

1: Abide With Me

2: The Lord's My Shepherd

3: The Old Rugged Cross

4: The Day Thou Gavest

5: All Things Bright and Beautiful

6: How Great Thou Art

7: Amazing Grace

8: The 23rd Psalm

9: Make Me a Channel of Your Peace

10: Morning Has Broken