Back to the earth

I took my Times friends Isobel and Patrick to the funeral of our friend Tony Dawe. He was a fine journalist and passed away very quickly after a cancer diagnosis.

The service in Coldharbour Surrey was well attended by family and 'old school' journalist friends.

Although I had met his partner Liz before I hadn't asked if I could take pictures and therefore didn't. 

It was the first burial I had attended in my memory, the coffin made from willow (he was a great cricketer).

After meeting and greeting in the local pub I walked back to the church yard to photograph the flowers. Instead I found the grave diggers finishing their work. We discussed how many people had died in the last month. It seems March is the new February.

Somehow this more practical expression of burial seemed more fitting.

RIP Tony. There will be a pint waiting for you up there.