GRIEVING families are being urged to minimise attendance at funerals as efforts to tackle coronavirus ramp up.

Warrington Borough Council’s bereavement services team has removed a number of seats within the Walton Lea Crematorium Chapel to maintain a two-metre gap between each mourner.

It is in line with Government guidance and follows advice from public health chiefs as fears over the virus spreading mount.

The number of mourners permitted to attend a graveside service in the borough has been reduced to 10.

A council spokesman added: “We are also working in partnership with our undertakers to encourage families to minimise attendance at funerals.

“Currently, there is seating provision for 18 mourners to attend the chapel.

“Families are encouraged to minimise attendance and to ensure mourners are not currently exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus or in self-isolation.

“Mourners who attend burial services at the graveside are encouraged to follow Government guidance with respect to social distancing.”

The unprecedented situation facing society has sparked concerns from some members of Warrington’s Muslim community, who have expressed fears over the impact and challenges Covid-19 will have on funeral and burial services.

It is a communal obligation for Muslims to attend funeral and burial services but the restrictions now in place will only allow up to 10 people to attend, rather than the 100 plus attendees that often do, to pay their last respects.

Furthermore, due to not having necessary personal protective equipment, some mosques may not be able to carry out the ritual washing, known as the ‘ghusl’, of the deceased.

Warrington Islamic Association trustee Mo Hussain said: “We are following Government guidelines and working very closely with our Imams, Muslim undertaker and all of the relevant authorities in making sure everything what can be done will be done to serve and protect our community.

“We understand that not able to attend funeral and burial services of loved ones can be very difficult but we must follow and respect the measures in place and not push this situation to the next level of non-attended funerals – I cannot even begin to imagine how hard that would be.”

Members of the town’s Muslim community are usually buried at Fox Covert Cemetery or Warrington Cemetery.