PARISH councillors near Winchester have been forced to set up an advisory committee after concerns were raised about the village running out of burial ground.

Owslebury councillors were told by the vicar at the recent parish council meeting that space at St Andrew’s Church would run out in approximately five years.

Rev Jonah Watts said: “We have currently got 15 places left and at the current rate we have got about four to five years. When we get to our remaining space we have to stop doing burials. I also know places in Winchester are going to get tighter and tighter. A burial at St. Andrew’s currently costs £269 whereas in Winchester it is over £1,000.

“There are people in this village who will find it difficult to be buried. It takes about 18 months to put in another piece of land and it’s starting this process now and really getting that moving. We are going to find our village tight for space.

“If there was a massive coach crash and residents insisted they are buried here we would really struggle.”

Parish clerk, Michael Cleary, said: “It’s a very material decision the parish needs to make and shouldn’t make this in haste. What I suggest is that there should be an advisory committee for further consultation. There are several environmental and financial issues that need to be considered.”

But the chairman raised issues with the number of people who had taken part in the survey, conducted earlier this year by members of the church, claiming that 15 per cent was not a sufficient number of people to accurately reflect the wishes of the parish.

Chairman, John Chapman, said: “We’re not talking about something small, this is significant funding here. It’s a lot to spend on 15 per cent of the electorate.”

Cllr Gerry Tull, said: “If the parish council is going to buy some land it’s going to be £20,000 or whatever and I don’t know where that’s going to come from.”

Mr Chapman said: “The alternative is that people have to be buried in Winchester.”