Doctor Who megafan given huge send off at funeral in TARDIS coffin

A sci-fi fan known for his "wicked sense of humour" was given a timeless send-off ....in a Doctor Who TARDIS coffin. When Steven Peter Mullen, known as Pete, died aged 71, in Warrington, Cheshire, his family wanted to honour his memory in a way that reflected his love for Doctor Who.

A devoted fan, Pete had amassed an impressive collection of memorabilia over the years, from t-shirts and socks to framed pictures and even a remote-controlled Dalek. He even had the BBC's Doctor Who theme tune play from the hearse as they slowly drove down the drive to the Cheshire crematorium.

Pete's daughter Toni Mullen, 46, of Warrington, told the Daily Express: "Dad had a wicked sense of humour, so we knew we wanted to send him on his final voyage in a unique way.

"When we saw the TARDIS coffin, we just knew it had to be done. It made sense and was clearly meant to be. Dad enjoyed all the doctors up to and including David Tenant."

The TARDIS, an acronym for Time And Relative Dimension In Space, is a fictional spacecraft and time machine from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who.

It is the Doctor's method of travelling through time and space. It appears as a blue police box on the outside but, due to trans-dimensional engineering, has a much larger interior.

Pete worked as a Nuclear Welding Technician for much of his life, travelling across the UK and Europe.

A former rugby player, Pete later found a love for fishing and enjoyed spending time with his close-knit group of friends, who often played dominoes together.

In addition to his two children, Pete has six grandchildren - Noah, Elsie, Alice, Tommy, Max, and Abi.

He fell in love with the time lord from an early age and was nine when the first Doctor was played by William Hartnell in 1963. His favourites were up to and including the 10th 'Doctor', David Tennant.

Craig Mullen, Pete's son, added: "Dad was the biggest Doctor Who fan we knew.

"He followed the Doctors and their adventures just like others follow soap operas. It was clear this was the send-off he would've wanted."

The floral arrangements also featured a mix of Doctor Who blue and yellow flowers, which was a nod to Pete's tradition of growing sunflowers for his children and grandchildren.

As a final tribute, Pete's family decided to add another personal touch to the funeral by having the Doctor Who theme tune play from the hearse.

Toni said: "It was a bit of a surprise for everyone. We wanted to bring a little joy to a very sad day, and it definitely made an impact. People are still talking about it, and we know Dad would've loved it."

Barry Openshaw, Funeral Director at Co-op Funeralcare Cheshire (Warrington), said: "Pete's family wanted to ensure his farewell was as unique as he was.

"His love of Doctor Who and his playful, larger-than-life personality were central to the service.

"It was truly heartwarming to see how the Tardis coffin and Doctor Who theme brought joy to his loved ones on what was an emotional day.

"We take great pride in helping families create truly memorable and meaningful tributes that reflect the individuality of their loved ones.

"It was an honour to help bring this to life and we're so pleased his family felt the service was a fitting celebration of his life."

To find out more about Co-op Funeralcare Cheshire (Warrington), visit Funeral Directors in Warrington, Gorsey Lane - Co-op