IT can’t have been an easy decision for Dr Death’s “customers” to make a stand and attend his first-ever suicide workshop in Bournemouth.

Most of them elderly, those interested were shocked and angry to find themselves at the centre of a media circus and in a small, crowded room in the country’s only gay naturist hotel.

The majority were fearful their faces would appear on television and in newspapers, perhaps alerting their families to the fact that they were considering euthanasia.

But such was their interest in the subject matter that they were prepared to battle it out to give them peace of mind for the future.

Bournemouth was not selected for the workshop by chance.

Dr Philip Nitschke bluntly declared that the town’s “demographic” – the fact that is has a high proportion of elderly people – made it the obvious choice.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, he said: “We were always interested in coming to Bournemouth,” and, referring to last year’s problems with securing a venue, he added: “There was censorship and a wave of hysteria last year, but we knew people in Bournemouth were interested in what we have to say.”

During an hour-long public meeting, Australian Dr Nitschke outlined his belief that everyone has the right to choose a peaceful death.

He urged people to make “end of life plans” well in advance and outlined various ways of dying, including lethal doses of barbiturates, saying: “You want something you can just pick up, drink and die.”

The audience was even shown a video, called DIY with Betty, which showed how to make a plastic bag to go over your head.

The short video, one of the two played during the public session, was accompanied by cheerful music, not dissimilar to that heard on children’s television.

Dr Nitschke was smartly dressed and had clearly won the admiration of his audience, often making them laugh when he made jokes about his serious subject.

After the meeting, visitors were then told they could attend a more detailed workshop. The only rules were that you had to be over 50, sign a disclaimer, and pay a £25 fee to join Exit International.

As members of the public queued to sign up, many shifted around uncomfortably in their surroundings. Signs up in Hamilton Hall in Carysfort Road, Boscombe declared “Life is short, break some rules” and “Be nice or leave”.

But what did members of the public think of the presentation?

Ron Hands, 77, of Southbourne told how his wife died of cancer 20 years ago and added: “I want to die with dignity. I saw my wife suffer and I am thinking about my family.”

Peter King, 66, from Christchurch, added: “I think it is extraordinary that humans are the only animals who can’t be assisted in death – it is hypocritical.”

Paul and Beverley Waller travelled from their home in Weymouth to attend the workshop and Paul said: “We have often thought that we would like to be prepared for when we could be ill. We do not want painful deaths or to be a burden to our family.”

The press were then asked to leave so that more detailed discussions could take place in the closed workshops. Dr Nitschke plans to hold further workshops in Brighton, Stroud and Glasgow before more dates in Singapore and Australia.