For many of us death is the last great unmentionable subject.

It is upsetting, unpleasant and best pushed to the back of our minds.

In a bid to break that taboo, terminal illness charity Marie Curie has held what is known as a Death Cafe.

Hosted in the Common Grounds cafe in Belfast’s City Church, it aims to get people to have conversations about death in an informal setting, over tea and cake.

Joan McEwan, from Marie Curie, said people in Northern Ireland still have a great reluctance to address what happens at the end of life.

“It’s still very much a forbidden topic and that can act as a real barrier to people getting the care and support they need.

‘Support’

“It’s estimated that about 3,000 people here aren’t getting that support.