The story of how her mother pranked her father for years after her death, was shared on twitter by firefighter Antonia Nicol, and it has moved a lot of people.

Phedre Fitton gave her husband, Nigel, strict instructions to water the plants in the bathroom, just before she died of Ovarian cancer in 2013. 

True to his word, Nigel watered the plants regularly for four years and was so impressed at how good they looked that he wanted to take them with him when he moved to a retirement home.

It was there that someone pointed out that his beloved plants were actually plastic and he discovered his wife had pranked him one last time before her death. 

Glasgow Times:

Credit: @Flaminhaystack

The lovely story has received an overwhelming response on twitter after daughter Antonia shared it, she wrote: "Before my mum passed away, she gave my dad strict instructions to water the plants in the bathroom.

"He's been religiously watering them & keeping them alive. They look so amazing he decided to take them to his new home, only to discover they are plastic! Can hear my mum chuckling."

Several other Twitter users who read Antonia's story have been inspired to share their own experiences of losing a loved one.

User @The80sBoy said: "Sorry to hear of your loss. I lost my lovely mum last year, she was 85. But she would've loved that joke; my mum like yours had a wicked sense of humour."

Antonia was even sent a bouquet of flowers which included a real fern from florists @BloomandWild and @oskarpearson as they had enjoyed her story so much. 

Loose Women also contacted the firefighter to let her know that they would be discussing her story on the show.