An application to expand a village cemetery has been made amid fears that deaths connected to coronavirus mean it will be full.

Bacton Parish Council has made the application to change the use of a plot of land currently used as allotments to a cemetery to Mid Suffolk District Council.

The piece of land, adjacent to St Mary’s Church, was originally purchased by Bacton Parish Council in 1922 with the intention to use it as a cemetery.

In 1975, the council submitted a planning application to change part of this land to a cemetery - which was granted.

The council now says the current space is nearly full.

A spokesman from the parish council: “The current cemetery now has very limited available spaces.

“With the current Covid-19 pandemic, it is now a requirement of the community to extend the cemetery into this unused land to allow for interments into the historical parish Bacton.”

“Whilst the parish council would like to change the use of the site in its entirety, we would like to hold a part of it to use for a garden of reflection in the shorter term.”

It is understood that Bacton Parish Council agreed at a public meeting held on April 6 2020 to make the application.

The district council will now consider the application before either approving or rejecting the request.