Video & pictures: Shropshire holiday hearse is dead impressive

But not Norman Crisp - he likes nothing more that that getting out and about in his after having it transformed into a unique holiday home.

Norman's former hearse is now a fully functioning campervan, complete with sink and stove.

The purple van features tinted windows and is now known - somewhat appropriately - as The Reaper.

Norman, from Whitchurch, decided he wanted to turn the vehicle into something completely different and approached VW Bus Werks, based in Market Drayton, to see if it would take on the challenge.

Mr Crisp said: "My son had a VW campervan done up really nicely and I thought it was great.

"Then I was also watching a programme on television and they drove to France in a hearse.

"I thought, wouldn't that make a fantastic campervan."

The next think he knew, the 69-year-old from Grindley Brook, near Whitchurch, was searching for hearses and caskets online before finding the right one.

His wife Jean, 67, has supported him throughout the project despite some of his quirky ideas.

"I had this idea of having a coffin as a kitchen," said Mr Crisp.

"We decided to go local with it and we found Ben Marsden from VW Bus Werks.

"He was very enthusiastic about it and started it – the rest is history."

Ben, who owns the Volkswagen transporter conversion specialist, said he couldn't believe the idea.

He said: "I thought it was a wind-up to be honest.

"I laughed my head off, I really thought this guy was winding me up.

"But we thought we could do it and it has taken some months but we have."

Mr Crisp said eight years ago he spent about 10 days in a coma following an operation and many people say this has become his own way of "putting two fingers up to death".

He said: "It's not the reason I did it, but I think some people like to say it is because we aren't using it as a hearse, of course."

Mr Marsden said: "We tried to use local companies for most of the work and we managed to do that for 90 per cent of it.

"It took about 10 months in total, but three of those were spent in the paint shop.

The idea of turning a funeral car into a campervan will get people laughing. But Norman Crisp, who lives near Whitchurch, isn't taking it lying down.

His hearse – it's a used model – was bought online and has been converted by a Market Drayton firm into an impressive holiday home.

It's purple and is dubbed The Reaper. It's really comfy and has a sink and stove that have been built into a coffin-shaped counter.

We imagine the headroom isn't all that great, but who wants to stand up in a hearse?

There are going to be jokes, and it is obvious that 69-year-old Mr Crisp and his 67-year-old wife Jean have a sense of humour.

A lot of people get to ride in a hearse, but generally in circumstances in which they are unable to enjoy the experience.

There is though a disadvantage to the whole project. As Norman and Jean travel down the motorway, they cannot really have a passenger in the back.

"I think Norman has already had some interest from undertakers and he has been to see a couple of companies.

"I don't know who would want a funeral in this though."

The van last night featured on TV show George Clarke's Amazing Spaces – known for finding unique and exciting projects that use space in a new ways.

Mr Marsden said the production team was involved throughout the process and they had some great feedback from the show.

He said: "George thought it was fantastic. He said it was one of the most ridiculous and crazy ideas for a hearse but he really liked it.

"It is quite odd, but we are all really pleased with it.

"It was very very difficult really. We are a Volkswagen specialist and we generally do campervans.

"But this was something very different and it is a difficult feat to take on.

"We put a couple of photos on Facebook and within 30 hours we had something like 16,000 hits.

"It was a real challenge engineering and building really. But it was also a challenge to get everything in that we wanted to."

Last night the hearse featured on the Channel 4 architecture programme and presenter George Clarke said it was "the most bonkers home mobile we have ever had on Amazing Spaces".

Mr Crisp said: "I am over the moon with it.

"It is absolutely fabulous and I think it is just great.

"George thought it was great – he said he would like his own funeral with it!"

The programme aired last night on Channel 4.