Staff at a Twickenham storage unit were left a little spooked when they were asked to look after 1,000 coffins this year.

Manager at Access Self Storage Stuart Hillman said the request to hold the teak coffins, which came from an importer for undertakers and private customers, was not the only unusual collection of items that had been stored at the unit.

Mr Hillman said: “We felt a little like undertakers helping to carry 1,000 coffins into one of our biggest storage rooms, but other than that, it was just another day in the office.

“We are used to surprises. In the past, we’ve stored a tank full of live fish, bags of mown grass and an 18 foot statue.”

Your Local Guardian:

The coffins were teak with silver handles

The units, in Rugby Road, have in the past year also housed 300 square feet of coconuts, a totem pole, hay bales and six large boats that were converted into upright stands for the City of London Festival.

Kevin Pratt, who also works at Access, said: “In my six years at the business, we’ve stored 1,000 right-foot shoes, a single Hoover for a customer who lived 45 miles away and out-of-date tinned food. This year, we’ve got coffins, coconuts, pickled onions and hay bales.

Your Local Guardian:

“With so many enthusiasts into so many different things, we never go for long without another unusual request. Other than fish in an aquarium, we do draw the line at livestock and pets with legs, of course.

"We are not planning to open a doggy day care or farm yet, in spite of enquiries along these lines every so often.”

A company spokeswoman said she could not divulge the identities of its customers but other unusual items hold at the storage units include pinball machines stored for a customer whose girlfriend refused to move in with him if he had all of them in his flat and a full set of superhero costumes for a large dog.