By Chris Hogg BBC correspondent in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, undertakers are unhappy about the territory's newest crematorium at Kwai Chung. The problem they say is that the incinerators are too small.

It was only when the German-built incinerators were installed and the first coffins were loaded inside that the authorities realised they had a problem.

The incinerators were imported into Hong Kong from Germany

Three of the four chambers are just too short - only by a few centimetres but enough, the undertakers say, to force technicians at the crematorium to try to find ways to shorten coffins.

The fourth oven is much bigger but it was not designed for standard caskets.

That was why on one occasion one that did not fit slipped through the frame supporting it and the remains of two bodies were combined.

Hong Kong's Funeral Business Association says the territory's crematoria are working at full capacity.

It is difficult enough to get a booking at the moment and the problems at Kwai Chung are just making the situation worse.

Government rejects criticism

Spokesman Tai Ng said: "Hong Kong doesn't have enough space in the crematoriums. At the moment you have to wait 15 days for a booking.

"The problem is that if you want to use Kwai Chung you have to get the coffins made smaller."

Having coffins specially made - smaller than the standard size - increases the cost.

In any case many families prefer the traditional Chinese coffin, made from logs and fashioned to retain their natural shape.

However, the government, which built the facility, rejects the criticism, insisting that undertakers are free to use Hong Kong's five other crematoria, all of which have bigger incinerators.