Space send-off is father's dying wish

The ashes of 30 people will be on board the rocket

Welsh film director Justin Kerrigan is granting his father's final wish by blasting his ashes into space.

Justin, director of cult film Human Traffic, was "devastated" when his dad Frankie, 50, died of pneumonia.

But the 24-year-old from Cardiff knew there was one final act of kindness he could do for his father.

That was to pay £3,300 to carry out the deathbed promise to send his father's remains into orbit.

Justin Kerrigan accepting his Golden Globe award

Frankie's ashes will be among those of 30 others on board the Earth View 04 rocket when it blasts off from Houston, Texas in March.

The space capsule will then orbit the earth every 90 minutes for hundreds of years.

"My dad was always larger than life and I remember when I was young he said he would like his ashes to be shot into space," Justin explained.

"It seems appropriate because he was a one-off. He was an amazing character who empowered me to go for my dreams.

No father and son could have been closer. His death has left a huge hole in my life

Julian Kerrigan

"I'd never have been able to achieve my ambitions without his strength, support and guidance.

"No father and son could have been closer. His death has left a huge hole in my life."

Justin is now planning to make a film based on his late father's life.

Frankie, of Pentrebane in Cardiff, brought Justin up alone from the age of three.

As some way of paying him back, Justin had recently bought his dad a plush new flat - but he died just days before he was due to move in.

Justin said: "I'm devastated. I wanted more than anything for my father to live a comfortable life.

"I was just about to make that happen when he died - I guess I was too late."

A spokesman for Celestis, the American company that offers the "space burials", confirmed Mr Kerrigan's ashes would be on their next mission.

"It's such a unique idea," the spokesman said.

People like the thought that their loved ones really will be able to reach the stars."