A midwife had her dying wish granted when an undertaker she delivered more than 50 years ago arranged her funeral.

Joan Phillips told undertaker Robin Folland: "I brought you into the world so I want you to take me out of it."

The pair joked about the unusual arrangement for years when they saw each other in the street.

But when Joan passed away aged 88, Mr Folland stepped in to give her a good send off.

Mr Folland, 54, said: "Joan lived nearby and when my mum went into labour she was there to deliver me.

"When I started working for my dad's funeral company Joan told me I had to look after her when the time came.

"She used to say that she brought me into the world so I had to take her out of it.

"It was quite moving for me - like life going in full circle."

Nurse Joan delivered more than 1,000 babies during her career as a midwife in Haverfordwest.

In the early days she would turn up on a pushbike before getting an Austin A30 to help expectant mums in more rural areas.

She never married and had no children of her own so she took a special interest in all the children she brought into the world.

Mr Folland said: "She was a lovely lady and will be remembered because she brought so many babies into the world.

"Whenever I saw her in the street she made a big fuss of me.

"Joan would always remind me of our little arrangement and she told other people that I had to do her funeral, she made no secret of it."

Nurse Joan trained at Guys Hospital in London during the Call the Midwife era of the 1950s.

When she returned to her native Pembrokeshire she was on call 24 hours a day and only had one rest day every two weeks.

Her cousin Shirley Williams, 66, said: "Joan was a real character who could see the funny side of things.

"She made it known to me that Robin had to carry out her funeral arrangements because she had delivered him.

"I'm sure the thought of it made her smile and gave her some comfort - she had a lively sense of humour."

After retiring Joan suffered a stroke 14 years ago but still kept in touch with many of the people she had delivered.

Hundreds turned up to say goodbye to Joan's at her funeral at Parc Gwyn Crematorium in Narberth, Pembrokeshire, where Mr Folland ensured she had a dignified service with many flowers.

Mourner Eileen Jenkins, 86, said: "She was the perfect midwife - she would bring her knitting with her and wait until the baby was ready.

"It's very different these days."