WEE COUNTY families are being faced with heart-wrenching decisions when burying a loved-one during the coronavirus pandemic.

With social distancing rules being enforced across the board, funerals have become even more challenging, with the bereaved unable to mourn as normal.

The Covid-19 restrictions mean only immediate family can attend services, and in minimal numbers.

They must also maintain a distance from one another unless they live in the same household.

Funeral directors in Clacks are hoping to continue providing the best service possible under such unique circumstances.

Steven McIntyre of Roy & McIntyre Funeral Home told the Advertiser of the additional hardships facing families in the area.

He said: "Suffering a bereavement is very-very difficult at the best of times, but under these circumstances, we are just trying to facilitate the cremation service or burial service of the loved one as best as we possibly can.

"The service is still undertaken with the same care and compassion, it just amounts to not being able to have a full service – for example in the town hall or at local hotel venues, churches or chapels.

"It's straight to the cemetery or straight to the crematorium with minimal and immediate family only.

"We are still there for families, we are still carrying out their requests as best we can within the guidelines."

The exact number of people allowed varies from place to place. For instance: Falkirk Crematorium has stipulated 15, while Stirling Crematorium is only 10 per service.

And all places of worship have closed their doors to funeral services as well in a bid to reduce the spread of the virus. Hotel venues have done the same, meaning there are no options left.

The usual compassionate face-to-face conversations between funeral directors and families cannot take place; everything must be done over the phone. And if anything needs to be signed, documents are passed through letterboxes.

Even flowers are not available for services.

"But social distancing is very important", added fellow funeral director Tommy Roy.

Indeed, the last thing both want is ending up in self-isolation because they want to be there for families, along with the rest of the staff, during this unprecedented crisis.

Tommy said: "The most difficult time in anybody's life is the passing of a loved one, in this situation at the moment, we feel as if we are inadequate."

He added: "We are totally restricted now on what we can do for a family and we feel the service is not the service we would normally give, due to the circumstances.

"It's very difficult to keep away from a family, just meet them at the grave site, you are handing a letter or a piece of documentation through a letterbox, they are signing it and handing it back to you."

Tommy, Steven and staff are being guided by the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and say the rules can change every other day.