London, August 5 (ANI): A new range of internet services have made it possible for users to now send e-mail greetings to their loved ones from beyond the grave.

These online services are being used to send birthday wishes to friends, congratulations on a graduation, and to keep spouses happy.

Before they die, internet users can programme the sites to fire off posthumous e-mails on key dates each year.

People using these services can even set up their own online memorial in advance.

The messages go live when the website is alerted to a subscriber's demise.

According to reports, these websites are part of a growing trend for "digital wills".

Though not legally binding, the online wills are aimed at ensuring that next of kin can gain full access to a dead person's musings on sites like Facebook and Hotmail, as well as passwords for internet banking and other e-documents.

One Simon Gilligan, 63, from Littleport, Cambridgeshire, has made a digital will on lastmessagesclub.co.uk, which launched this month, in tandem with a paper will.

"It has things like personal messages to my wife and children and various details of my bank accounts, e-mail and my Facebook account," Times Online quoted him as saying.

"I did it because I have heard of situations where people have died and it has taken a long time to get the information. This will make it easier for my wife and children.

"I would definitely consider setting it up to send another e-mail out to my family on a birthday. That would choke everybody up," he added. (ANI)