1,600 new grave sites for Warrington Cemetery (From Warrington Guardian)

1,600 new grave sites for Warrington Cemetery

4:30pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in News

THE town’s oldest cemetery is open for business again as full burials are brought back to Warrington Cemetery.

Councillors approved plans to open the Manchester Road venue again at an executive board meeting on Monday night.

Clr David Keane, executive board member for environment and public protection, said: “Warrington Cemetery is the oldest and largest in town and it has been closed to full burials since 1980. The other three smaller ones are limited in space.

“The new profile will have 1,600 new grave sites which should give us an additional 30 years burial space beyond the other three cemeteries.”

Fox Covert Cemetery, Burtonwood Cemetery and Hollinfare Cemetery are currently the only open burial spaces in the borough but between the three, there are less than 700 new spaces available.

The council has moved to quash fears that graves could see existing ones brought back into use.

“These are freshly prepared spaces, it will not affect current graves,” added Clr Keane.

“We are looking to plan for future provision in the town.”

The cemetery has remained open over the past 32 years for residents to inter ashes and for burials on existing family plots.

But new burials can take place straightaway after the scheme was approved unanimously at the Town Hall.

The cemetery opened in 1857 and is the final resting place for more than 130,000 people.

The most famous grave is that of George Formby, which still attracts many of his fans from around the world.

There are also a number of war graves which commemorate service personnel who have lost their lives in every recognised conflict since the Great War.

Clr Terry O’Neill, council leader, welcomed the move and said it was much needed with the growing population.