MORE graves are being prepared at Taunton cemetery - although the council hopes it won't have to use them.

Somerset West and Taunton Council is, like most council's in the UK, making contingency plans to deal with any impact from the Covid-19 outbreak.

As part of these plans, 30 new graves have been dug so far, with scope to prepare more if necessary.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, said: “All councils in Somerset are contingency planning across all their services to cope with the potential impacts of the Coronavirus.

“SWT is responsible for the provision of burials and, like authorities across the country, has to plan for a likely higher than normal number of deaths in the coming weeks.

“We cannot know exactly how significant any increase will be, but as a precaution we have started to prepare a number of additional burial plots. This is to ensure we can provide choice when meeting the needs of the deceased.

“We hope that they won’t be needed but we have to be prepared, and this is clearly a subject to be handled with great sensitivity."

Changes are being implemented while social distancing rules are enforced as part of the government lock down to help prevent the spread.

Cllr Smith-Roberts added: “Throughout this difficult time we remain committed to ensuring the dignity of the deceased, meeting their wishes and those of their families.

“To allow us the safe space to work we have from this week (Monday April 6) closed the Taunton Crematorium and Cemetery on Wellington Road to everyone except mourners.

“Our other cemeteries remain open but we ask visitors to observe appropriate social distancing.

“We appeal to everyone to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus by following all the Government guidance, especially that around social distancing, self-isolation and handwashing.”

Inaccurate reports were spotted on social media, claiming 200 graves were being prepared.

But the council says this is currently not the case, but this could be subject to change if the need presents itself.

A spokesperson said: “We have so far focussed on the paths and infrastructure needed in a cemetery.

"We have 30 plots prepared to date and will be increasing numbers in manageable blocks to allow for our planning assumptions to change as we learn more.”