Burial spaces in Ashford borough will be full within seven years, according to the council.

Based on the expected mortality rate, the available space for new graves at the council’s cemeteries is likely to be exhausted by 2020.

A new site the size of Bybrook cemetery, at 47,000 square metres, would provide approximately 10,000 burial spaces, meeting the borough’s need until around 2067.

A council spokesman said: “To combat future shortages, we are working to identify potential sites for a new cemetery or cemeteries for the borough, and have added cemetery provision in the revision of the local plan."

Ashford borough currently has four operational cemeteries, with a total of 1,159 vacant plots between them.

Full story in next week's Kentish Express.