A Brighton-based funeral firm has a new man at the top.

At 20 years old, Peter Mylton-Thorley is probably the youngest funeral director with his own business in the country.

On the retirement of his father, also Peter, he has taken on the role of proprietor of Belmont Funeral Homes (Brighton), a firm set up in 1990 by his parents.

Joining him in the running of the company, which is based in Islingword Road, is his twin sister, Lea.

Initially they will be helped by their mother, also called Lea, who has jointly run the firm for the past ten years.

Mrs Mylton-Thorley said: "Peter has grown up with the trade, helping and showing interest and compassion from a very early age. He has learnt all aspects of the profession."

She said the family were proud that Peter and Lea were the first of the second generation to join the business.

Peter said: "In some ways, this is history repeating itself.

"In 1982 my parents opened a funeral company using nothing but white vehicles, which made quite an impact.

"White hearses were very rare then.

"My parents also felt strongly about the high profit margins on funerals and cut their own prices to prove it.

"That made them very unpopular in the business.

"We have decided to re-introduce the white hearse and limousines that were so popular then, but we will still have the traditional black vehicles.

"Like my parents, I have made a close study of current funeral prices and have restructured our own.

"I have devised a budget funeral service. It is designed to be economic but at the same time it retains the same dignity, quality and personal touch as more expensive funerals.

Traumatic "I believe it is essential a bereaved person can trust you to guide them through a sad and traumatic time.

"I do not consider it an opportunity to cash in on people's grief."

Peter added he wanted to make the company more competitive by offering a wider range of services catering for all needs, from the traditional funeral to simple funerals with family participation, which are proving more popular these days.

As she gets used to her son running the family business, Mrs Mylton-Thorley said: "We have always remembered that people have complete freedom of choice when it comes to choosing a funeral company.

"We suggest that people shop around and compare prices of similar funerals and find out what the prices cover.

"It makes me angry when I see funerals described as being from less than £500 when I know after other fees are added the final bill will be almost three times as much.

"Our openness towards prices has been good for business."