Who needs The Apprentice? Boy sets up his own funeral director's business, aged just 17

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 8:21 AM on 6th October 2010

For the ex-marine, cleaner and banker that all hope to become the next Apprentice, they could take some tips from this youngster.

That's because the 17-year-old's new business is sure to leave Sir Alan Sugar impressed.

George Simnett, of Loughborough, Leicestershire is believed to have become the youngest person in the country to run his own funeral director's business.

The youngster had already been cleaning and preparing bodies full-time for the past two months - and last month set up his own firm GE Simnett and Family Funeral Directors.

Hard at work: 17-year-old George Simnett has just started his own funeral director business after previously working with another firm to clean and prepare bodies

The teenage undertaker currently runs his company from the premises of Charnwood Funeral Services in Loughborough where he learned his trade.

But he plans to buy his own offices as soon as he finds somewhere suitable.

Hailing from a farming family in Coleorton, Leics, he broke with family tradition by ditching livestock for dead bodies.

He said: 'I went to agricultural college after leaving school and I had 150 sheep but I wasn't earning enough from them to make a wage so I had to get rid of them.

'I always wanted to be an undertaker, helping people at difficult times.

'I think I'm a caring person and I like caring for families. Preparing the body and getting it right for when the family sees it is very rewarding.'

While other boys his age get their kicks from computer games and television, George enjoys getting corpses ready for funerals.

He said: 'We clean up and prepare the bodies. We wash them, wash their hair, dry them, put make-up on their faces, cap their eyes and sew their mouths up to make them look like they're asleep.

They look like ghosts when they come in here but there's a big difference before and after. And the families are so grateful.'

And while many mothers may find the idea of their son turning undertaker a little unnerving, George's mother Wendie is keen to help out.

'My mum will do the flower arranging when I get my own office,' George said.

Nor were his friends surprised by his unusual choice of career.

'They probably expected it because I get my hands into anything,' he said.

'They love talking about it though. It's one of those subjects that people want to learn more about.'

Rachael Ryan, 15, is following in her father's and sister's footsteps by moving into the undertaking business. She also hopes to become a director in the future

Rachael Ryan, 15, reportedly said in August she wanted to become Britain's youngest undertaker.

But although she had helped out with the family business already, the teenager from Newport, south Wales, was waiting to finish school before signing up full-time.