A funeral arranger has called for a return to bystanders removing their hat and standing with heads bowed as a hearse passes, while funerals are being held with limited numbers.

Cromer and District Independent Funeral Services put a post on their Facebook page, which has been shared almost 500 times, calling for the public to show bereaved families their loss is noted when a funeral cortege passes.

Senior funeral arranger, Catherine West, said it had been a "difficult" time for both families who have lost loved ones and the trade.

Ms West said: "It was something that was just done as a natural sign of respect years ago, that everyone would do and we found with the current situation it has been very difficult to do the best we can for people, because we're in the industry where you say yes to everything. So we had to think what can we do?

"I think pulling the whole country together to do the little things like that is what holds us together and we thought it would be nice to encourage everyone to do it.

"A lot of people already do and you always note the people that do it, but it was just a gentle reminder to say we're all in this situation together and you can show your bit of support to those people."

She felt the traditions which used to be observed had slipped out as people's lives have become busier.

Ms West added: "I think people are just busier, the world is more busy in general now, everyone has their head down getting to their next job or appointment and people are scared at the moment to go out so they focus on what they want to do.

"The traditions have just got lost along the way, but it's been lovely to hear how it has taken off, it's been far more popular than we expected when we put it on Facebook."

She said it had been "heartbreaking" to have to tell families that some of them wouldn't be able to attend a funeral, however she thanked everyone who had worked with the firm during the pandemic saying they had been "very good and very understanding".