A heartbroken husband has told how he slept next to his dead wife's body in the same room for six days - because he did not want her to be taken to a mortuary.

Russell Davison, 50, decided he wanted to be in control of what happened to his partner's corpse after she passed way from cancer on April 21.

Wendy, 50, was kept in their home for almost a week until he finally decided to take her to the crematorium to say his final goodbye.

She died of cervical cancer after the family shunned traditional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, saying they wanted to do their "own research."

She passed away in the arms of Mr Davison and one of her two sons, Dylan, at their home in Derby where she had requested she wanted to die.

Mr Davison said after placing her in a "cocoon" he then stayed with his wife because he could't bear the thought of her being taken away in a plastic body bag.

He even invited relatives around to sit and talk to Wendy which he said provided great comfort to the family and helped them come to terms with their loss.

Mr Davison now wants to convince others that staying close to a loved one's dead body should nothing to be scared of.

He said: "Wendy was diagnosed with cervical cancer not long after our joint 40th birthday party at Susumi in November 2006.