'Prepare doors for landing': Funeral is interrupted by air stewardess' message after radio signals from passing plane are picked up by church's speakers

  • The funeral of Brendan Duffy took place at St Edward's Church in Windsor
  • As his nephew Joe read the eulogy people were told to prepare for landing
  • The service was disrupted by radio signals from a passing plane
  • The church is directly under the flight path to Heathrow Airport

By Tara Brady

Published: | Updated:

Joe Duffy, pictured, was reading the eulogy when everyone was told to 'fasten their seat belts'

Joe Duffy, pictured, was reading the eulogy when everyone was told to 'fasten their seat belts'

It could have been mistaken as a sign from the heavens above.

But the mysterious voice heard through speakers during a funeral service was in fact a stewardess on a passing plane telling passengers to prepare for landing.

Friends and family of Brendan Duffy had gathered at St Edward's Church in Windsor, Berkshire, to pay their final respects after the Dublin-born grandfather-of-four died on August 8, aged 78.

But as his nephew Joe Duffy was reading the eulogy, everyone was suddenly told to 'fasten their seat belts' and 'prepare doors for landing'. 

It is believed the gaffe happened because the church's wireless microphone and the plane's radio were on the same frequency.

Luckily mourners saw the funny side and burst out laughing during the service much to the priest's embarrassment.

Joe, 57, a RTE radio presenter, told The Sun: 'Everyone was looking around and up to heaven, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from.'

'Everybody saw the funny side - it was a real talking point.'

According to Father Michael Morrissey, the priest who led the service, it is not the first time this has happened.

Over and out: Friends and family of Brendan Duffy had gathered at St Edward's Church in Windsor, Berkshire

Over and out: Friends and family of Brendan Duffy had gathered at St Edward's Church in Windsor, Berkshire

The church happens to be directly under the flight path into Heathrow Airport.

Brendan's daughter Deidre, 54, said her father loved a joke and would have laughed himself. .

She said: 'My dad would have found it amusing. He had a fantastic sense of humour.'

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