He works day and night consoling bereaved families and preserving bodies until they are buried or cremated. And if this isn't unconventional enough, he has a mortuary and a hearse in his front garden. Liz Weafer met funeral director James Baker.

THE first thing I notice when I step into Fred Stevens Funeral Directors is the acrid smell of disinfectant and how immaculate the front office is.

I am there to meet James Baker, the director of the Nailsworth company, and immediately I find myself feeling rather stumped about how to begin my questioning.

But it doesn't take long before curiosity gets the better of me and I am throwing all manner of queries his way.

The question on most people's lips is why and how can you live with death every day and detach from it completely?

James, 35, tells me that ever since he was a small boy the concept of death has held a certain fascination with him.

"The human body isn't always the nicest thing to look at and there were times when I first started I went a little green but I suppose that's normal," he said.

He says there are two types of reaction to what he does.

"Some look at you in absolute horror and change the subject and others take the rare opportunity to ask as many questions as they possibly can," he said.

I think I am one of the latter.

He has run the company with James Nicholls (corr) since 1999 and together they organise three or four funerals a week.

He has a diploma in funeral directing and trained with the Midland School of Embalming.

An interesting opinion James has is that you cannot quantify tragedy.

"Some say it is more tragic when a child dies but one of the most extreme reactions I have seen was from a young girl whose grandmother died - she was completely inconsolable," he explains.

"Where children are concerned families grieve for a lost future rather than a past, they are grieving for their hopes and dreams."

I tentatively ask James if I can have a look around the building and he obliges, although first he says he has to cover the bodies in the mortuary.

At first sight there is nothing much to see in this clinical room - a large white fridge with names written on it which can hold up to six bodies, a sink, plug sockets hanging from the ceiling, soap and name tags.

Every funeral director's worst nightmare is to get bodies mixed up, I am told.

Embalming, which involves draining the blood and injecting a chemical, is only done when absolutely necessary, James informs me.

"If the funeral is delayed we have to preserve the bodies, or if the family are coming to visit," he said.

Sometimes the mouth is sutured to stop it from dropping open and the hands are massaged with cream into a relaxed position to relieve rigor mortis.

If the person has endured injury to their face cosmetic wax is used to reconstruct the lost tissue to give a life like appearance.

The deceased are dressed in their own clothes, pyjamas are a favourite apparently, their hair is styled and men are sometimes shaved.

"We do for them what they cannot do for themselves," James tells me.

As I said goodbye to him I get the distinct impression that he has spared me the worst of the gory details, and I am quite glad of it.

How to become an embalmer: To obtain a professional qualification in embalming you must be in relevant employment and register with a tutor accredited by the British Institute of Embalmers.

Trainees have to take an introductory foundation module before they can register with the BIE and study for the full registration course.

Previous experience in the funeral service or in mortuary work is useful.

Embalmers often have to drive so a full driving licence is usually essential Skills * You must be sensitive to other people's feelings.

* Have a serious and dignified manner with a smart, conventional appearance.

* Not be squeamish.

* Be understanding and acceptant of different religious beliefs.

* Have an interest in science, particularly chemistry and anatomy.