PRETTY teenager Amy Darlow is one of the youngest funeral directors in Britain. Amy, 19, began working with the dead when she was just 14 during a work experience placement. The youngster, from Salisbury, Wilts, became fascinated by the role after watching Forensic Files - an American documentary series. It prompted her to take up a full-time post at Will Case and Partners funeral directors in Salisbury a year ago - becoming one of the youngest undertakers. She said: "The programme was a realistic take on how forensic science is used to find out how people have died. I liked the way it followed real people and the fact that death is a massive part of life really interested me, so I wanted to get involved." Amy, who is dating childhood sweetheart Declan Spreadbury, 22, said: "My friends were surprised and asked all sorts of silly questions. They asked me if the bodies sat up when they were being cremated - so I just told them that was just the gas coming out of the organs." She enjoyed the placement so much that four years later, she applied for a job and was successful. Now she is completing a training course at the parlour, alongside a funeral services foundation degree and an embalming course at the University of Bath. Clad in top hat, cravat and tail coats, Amy conducted her first funeral in June last year and has completed another nine since then. But the first time Amy saw a dead body was when her grandma died aged just 10-years-old. She said: "People try to hide death from children, but I was exposed to it - I went to see her in the Chapel of Rest. I was encouraged to kiss her on the forehead and say goodbye but sadly she wasn't looking her best. I asked why there were bubbles coming out of her mouth and the reply was that she'd just come out of the fridge. I was just a child - but the image has stayed with me." Now Amy knows that the gastric air coming from her grandma's mouth could have been prevented by embalming the body in a certain way. She said: "She could have looked better. It's important to get it right - because that's the last time you'll see someone. I want people to go away with good lasting memories." "At the end of the day, we're dealing with someone's loved one. It's not just a body."

Mom and dad of 16 Christi and Dave Cason love having children so much - they're expecting their 17th baby. While some parents struggle with one or two, the couple are thrilled to be expanding their already huge brood, and even used fertility medication to help them conceive. Christi and Dave, who have nine boys and seven girls, aged 23 down to two, would love to have 20 children in total. Christi, 41, said: "Each baby is different. There is always the excitement of who will they look like, what will their personality be like, will they have blonde or brown hair? "I don’t think I’m addicted to pregnancy. We just never felt that our family was complete." Christi and Dave, 45, a telecom's engineer, went through 20 months of heartache, including suffering two miscarriages, before falling pregnant in February with the help of the fertility drug Clomid. Christi, who is a master at stretching Dave's $80,000 (£50,000) a year income, decided she wanted a 17th baby just five months after youngest Nathaniel, two, was born. But sadly, despite falling pregnant within three months, Christi lost the baby just before her 12 week scan. The couple, from Lake Elsinore, California, tried again for a year without success, then, in September 2012, Christi's GP suggested she take Clomid, which stimulates the hormones necessary for ovulation. "We were desperate," said Christi. "We really wanted another baby and had never had any problems conceiving in the past. "The biggest age gap between any of our other children is only 22 months." Just three months later, in November 2012, Christi was overjoyed when she fell pregnant. But tragically, just three days before Christmas, she miscarried again at nine weeks. Although devastated, Christi and Dave were determined to try again, and are thrilled she is now 16 weeks pregnant. Christi also believes her health has improved in recent months, meaning she may have ovulated this time, even without help. "I feel really positive for the future," she added. "I think if we try for an 18th baby I might not need any medication. “Labours are always pretty easy and I never get morning sickness. I love seeing the bump grow and feeling the first kick." The couple are also celebrating becoming grandparents for the first time, after eldest daughter Jessica, 23, gave birth to baby Jaedyn, and Christi will be baby-sitting while Jessica is at work. Jessica and the other children, Chad, 21, Dalton, 20, Austin, 18, Bailey, 16, Gage, 15, Kaylee, 13, Harper, 12, Emma, 11, Rebekah, nine, Trevor, eight, Walker, seven, Morgan, six, Laura, five, Sawyer, three, and Nathaniel, two, are all excited to be expecting a new brother or sister. The couple explained they did not have a big family for religious reasons - but simply because they love having one. "I hope people don't judge us. We know we can afford a 17th child and all the children get loads of love and attention," said Christi. Dave added: "Christi is a wonder at making the budget stretch. I'm so excited we're having a 17th. I've already told everyone at work - way before I usually do." The couple's day begins at 5am, when Dave leaves for work and Christi starts the chores and preparing waves of children for school. The family produce three to seven loads of laundry per day, and get through at least two boxes of cereal, two gallons of milk and a loaf of bread. Dave's $80,000, (£50,000) salary covers the family's $1,300 a month mortgage for their five-bedroom home, $1,600 month food bill and $1,900 bills and expenses. “Even though we can’t afford vacations, with a big family there are always so many other things you can do to have fun," said Christi. "One baby won’t cost us much more, we have baby clothes and nappies already." Despite their hectic schedules, the couple still make time for date nights and even go away for weekends while the older children babysit. Christi said making time for each other was essential to keep a marriage strong. She added: “Dave and I always make sure we have time for each child individually. All the kids love to snuggle up to us and watch TV in the evenings. We’re all very close.”

MOJOKERTO, INDONESIA - APRIL 13: A worker making false feet of fiber glass in small industrial manufacture of prosthetic limbs on April 13, 2013 in Kauman, Mojokerto, Indonesia. Sugeng Siswoyudono (51) had a motorcycle accident that caused his right leg amputated in 1981. Several years after the accident to make a prosthetic for himself and in 1995 he was moved to help peers, with making cheap prosthetic. If the prosthetic market valued IDR 10 million - IDR 30 million, he only sold IDR 1.5 million - IDR 2.5 million. In fact he made a free prosthetic leg for kinship friend who could not afford prosthetic limbs. Because of this social mission, he backed Kick Andy Foundation launched the program in 2008, “1,000 artificial limbs for the poor”. PHOTOGRAPH BY Arief Priyono / Barcroft Media

AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy who married a 61-year-old woman today said he felt like a husband after the extraordinary ceremony. Baby-faced Sanele Masilela tied the knot with Helen Shabangu after his grandfather contacted him beyond the grave to tell him to wed. Bizarrely, the schoolboy chose family friend Helen and his family paid £500 for her to be his wife at a £1,000 ceremony in Tshwane, South Africa. As many as 100 guests watched as the couple exchanged rings and said their vows before puckering up for a kiss. But, despite appearances, it wasn’t a real– the marriage was just a ritual and not legally binding. The pair does not live together but Helen is often invited to have dinner with him at the family’s home. Now Sanele has gone back to his life and continues to enjoy school and playing football with his friends. But the boy admitted there’s part of him that feels like a married man. He said: “My grandfather contacted me through a picture of my mother’s wedding. “We have a special bond because I am named after him. “He said he had seen the picture and felt sad that he had never been able to have a white wedding of his own so he asked me to get married. I chose Helen because I love her.” He added: “The day was great and it was exactly what I had imagined it would be like. “My friends thought it was really funny that I was getting married but I do now feel like a husband.” News of the wedding sent shockwaves around the world but Helen, who has already been married for 30 years and has five children between 37 and 27 years old, defended the ceremony. She said: “I know the story went out all over the world and it’s great that other countries have been able to learn about our culture and our ancestors. “What we did was not wrong. It’s just our culture. When the ancestors ask something, we do what they say. I don’t think other people understand that. “I know the ancestors are happy now because we are all alright and everything seems better and greater. “The whole family is much happier than we’ve ever been.” Helen admitted the expensive ceremony had been much bigger than her original wedding to husband, Alfred, 65, and had no regrets. She added: “I will always stay close to Sanele’s family even before the wedding and before Sanele chose me as his wife we were very close. “Nothing has changed since then.”

AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD schoolboy has become one of the world’s youngest grooms after marrying a 61-YEAR-OLD woman. Babyfaced Sanele Masilela tied the knot with Helen Shabangu, who is already MARRIED and a mother of five. The boy, from Tshwane, South Africa, said he had been told by his dead ancestors to wed. And his family took the message very seriously – forking out £500 for the bride and a further £1,000 for the big day, which was organized in just two months. Dressed in a bow tie and tiny silver suit, little Sanele, the youngest of five children, exchanged rings in front of 100 guests and even puckered up for a kiss. It’s already shocked the community but the family has defended the ceremony, saying it was just a ritual and not legally binding. Sanele’s 46-year-old mum, Patience Masilela said: “This is the first time this has happened in the family. “Sanele is named after his grandfather, who was never had a white wedding before he died so asked Sanele to get married. He chose Helen because he loves her. “By doing this we made the ancestors happy. If we hadn’t done what my son had asked then something bad would have happened in the family. “I didn’t have a problem with it because I know it’s what the ancestors wanted and it would make them happy.” The widow, who works at a recycling centre, added: “I would say that this is not wrong. “Sanele was fine and he was happy about the ceremony and it was what he wanted. He was happy to get married and very excited.” Sanele and his bride did not sign a marriage certificate and do not have to live together. Both have gone back to their normal lives. Sanele today said he hoped he would have a proper wedding to a woman his own age when he was older. He added: “I told my mother that I wanted to get married because I really did want to. “I’m happy that I married Helen – but I will go to school and study hard. “When I’m older I will marry a lady my own age.” Despite being old enough to be his grandmother, bride Helen, whose children are aged between 37 and 27, was happy with the arrangement. Helen, who also works at a recycling centre, said: “I'm married and have five kids of my own, but I know that this is what the ancestors wanted - and now they are happy. It is a ritual. We are just playing now, but it is a sign that he will get married one day.” Her husband of 30 years, Alfred, 65, said: “My kids and I are happy. The builder added: “We don’t have problems with it but some of the community members were shocked.”

A GREAT GRAN who got a boob job to fulfil her husband’s dying wish is now engaged to her toyboy - who is 38 years her junior. Pensioner Joan Lloyd, 67, found love with 29-year-old Phil Absolom after losing her husband of 49-years, David, to terminal illness in 2010. And Joan says David would be proud if he could see her now – because it was all his idea. David’s last wish was for his wife to make up for the years she spent caring for him by getting a boob job and a toy boy. And after he passed away, former model Joan forked out £4250 on breast implants – taking her from an A to an F cup. It wasn’t long before she’d caught Phil’s eye on Facebook and after weeks of messages and calls the couple went on their first date. A year later, Phil moved in to the home Joan once shared with David in Abergele, North Wales. And now, with the full blessing of Joan’s four children, 13 grandchildren and six great grandchildren, they’re set to wed after Phil popped the question on a romantic holiday in the Canary Islands. Joan said: “I never thought I'd tie the knot again in my lifetime but I just follow my heart. "Now I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him. I know it's meant to be because we're so right for each other." Joan was just 19 when she met first husband David at a dance in 1965 and the love-struck pair quickly tied the knot. A devoted wife, she cared for him for 15 years as he battled heart and lung disease, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. She said: “Before David died he told me to get a boob job and a toy boy after he passed away. "I was shocked, but I knew he wanted me to enjoy my life. He told me I'd earned it. I know he would be proud of me now.” Joan approached cosmetic surgeon Kevin Hancock for her breast implants and said the transformation had given her a new lease of life. Her case was so unusual, the story of her new body appeared newspapers and she was inundated with more than 500 messages on Facebook from admirers including Phil, who is only a few years older than her grandson. She said: "From the first moment I met Phil I felt butterflies and we just clicked. We are so much in love and our sex life is great – I’m certainly not too old for that. "Like with David, I knew straight away that Phil was someone I could spend my life with. “We’re like two peas in a pod – it’s like we’ve been together for years.” Phil added: "Joan has an amazing figure and acts so much younger than her age. I've had relationships with older women in the past but Joan is completely on my wavelength. “She's amazing and I want to spend all my time with her. It's like my mum says, age is just a number." Although they are yet to set a date and decide on an engagement ring, the couple is already making plans – but the age-gap may make it difficult to agree on some things. Incredibly, it’s Joan who wants a blow-out hen do, complete with stripper, while Phil is more likely to stay at home for a quiet stag. And Joan would like a romantic Michael Buble song for their first dance but isn’t too sure the choice will go down with Phil – who prefers ‘ravey’ music. Joan said: “My first wedding to David was arranged quite quickly so we didn’t have a big celebration. “But this time I want a big white wedding with a beautiful wedding dress. “Phil and I have want a nice church and a manor house.” She added: “All our family are looking forward to the wedding – and Phil’s parents are really happy he’s settling down.”