Great-grandad's final wish granted as Burger King burger put on his coffin

Ellen Manning
A hearse has been spotted going through a Burger King drive-thru in order to fulfil a great-granddad's dying wish - for one final double bacon cheeseburger. See SWNS story SWLEfuneral. Leonard Durkin's funeral cortege pulled into the fast food joint and stunned diners watched on as the vehicle containing his casket placed an order at the window. After the dapper driver paid £4.49 for the snack he got out the car, opened the boot and placed it on top of Leonard's coffin. His son, Peter, 50, said the two of them would visit Burger King once a week after going to his mum's grave in Leeds, West Yorks, and that his dad had requested the unusual tribute before his death on May 28. At the end of the ceremony at a nearby crematorium, as the coffin was taken away to be burned, the Johnny Cash classic 'Ring of Fire' rang out over the sound system.
Leonard Durkin asked for a burger to be put on his coffin during his funeral (Picture: SWNS)

A great-grandfather’s dying wish was granted when his funeral cortege pulling into a Burger King drive-through for a final Bacon Double Cheeseburger.

Leonard Durkin, who died aged 71, had requested that his favourite £4.49 treat, which he often enjoyed with son Peter as they visited his late wife’s grave, was put on top of his coffin.

To make his dying wish come true, Leonard’s funeral cortege stopped at the Burger King in Elland Road, Leeds, where they bought the burger and carried out Leonard’s wishes before travelling to a local crematorium for his funeral.

Leonard Durkin (L) with son Peter (R). A hearse has been spotted going through a Burger King drive-thru in order to fulfil a great-granddad's dying wish - for one final double bacon cheeseburger. See SWNS story SWLEfuneral. Leonard Durkin's funeral cortege pulled into the fast food joint and stunned diners watched on as the vehicle containing his casket placed an order at the window. After the dapper driver paid £4.49 for the snack he got out the car, opened the boot and placed it on top of Leonard's coffin. His son, Peter, 50, said the two of them would visit Burger King once a week after going to his mum's grave in Leeds, West Yorks, and that his dad had requested the unusual tribute before his death on May 28. At the end of the ceremony at a nearby crematorium, as the coffin was taken away to be burned, the Johnny Cash classic 'Ring of Fire' rang out over the sound system.
Leonard Durkin (L) with son Peter (R) (Picture: SWNS)

Peter, 50, said his dad had asked for his favourite snack to be placed on his coffin before he died on May 28.

He said: "Dad had a brilliant sense of humour and before he died he said he wanted to do this. He'll be having a good laugh about this from up there.

"We would always go and get something to eat after visiting the cemetery where my mum is.

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"Every time we went to Burger King he'd get a double bacon cheeseburger, so that was the one we got for him on the day of his funeral.”

He said while many people at the fast food outlet were craning to see what a funeral car was doing there, the lady who served them “didn't even raise an eyebrow”.

A hearse has been spotted going through a Burger King drive-thru in order to fulfil a great-granddad's dying wish - for one final double bacon cheeseburger. See SWNS story SWLEfuneral. Leonard Durkin's funeral cortege pulled into the fast food joint and stunned diners watched on as the vehicle containing his casket placed an order at the window. After the dapper driver paid £4.49 for the snack he got out the car, opened the boot and placed it on top of Leonard's coffin. His son, Peter, 50, said the two of them would visit Burger King once a week after going to his mum's grave in Leeds, West Yorks, and that his dad had requested the unusual tribute before his death on May 28. At the end of the ceremony at a nearby crematorium, as the coffin was taken away to be burned, the Johnny Cash classic 'Ring of Fire' rang out over the sound system.
Leonard had asked for his favourite burger to be put on top of his coffin (Picture: SWNS)

Adrian Benson, of Bensons Funeral Directors, who helped Peter plan the funeral, added: "I can't say anyone has ever requested to go through a drive-thru on the way to the service before. It was a first for me.

"We told the person serving us that the burger was for the man in the back, but I think the joke was a bit lost on them."

He said they always try to “go the extra mile” including warning the Burger King in advance and doing a trial run of the visit.

A hearse has been spotted going through a Burger King drive-thru in order to fulfil a great-granddad's dying wish - for one final double bacon cheeseburger. See SWNS story SWLEfuneral. Leonard Durkin's funeral cortege pulled into the fast food joint and stunned diners watched on as the vehicle containing his casket placed an order at the window. After the dapper driver paid £4.49 for the snack he got out the car, opened the boot and placed it on top of Leonard's coffin. His son, Peter, 50, said the two of them would visit Burger King once a week after going to his mum's grave in Leeds, West Yorks, and that his dad had requested the unusual tribute before his death on May 28. At the end of the ceremony at a nearby crematorium, as the coffin was taken away to be burned, the Johnny Cash classic 'Ring of Fire' rang out over the sound system.
The funeral directors even carried out a trial run (Picture: SWNS)

Former miner Leonard had six children, 18 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

He passed away from heart failure last month after battling with illness for a number of years.

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