THE vicar of Lampeter has warned that the continuing fall in the number of burials will ultimately threaten the upkeep of the large cemetery of St Peter’s Church.

With cremations becoming increasingly common, Rev Andrew Herrick says the number of funerals carried out at St Peter’s is now down to a mere handful a year.

“We’re not yet in a state of panic, but in two or three years’ time this will be a real issue for us,” he told the Cambrian News.

“We’re looking at a number of options with a view to attracting greater involvement from the community – hopefully one way to do that is make people aware of the situation as it stands. Burial fees are fixed by the Welsh Assembly and, although they have recently gone up quite significantly, they still don’t cover costs for the huge graveyard at St Peter’s.”

Rev Herrick met with Lampeter town councillors last week to notify them of his mounting concerns.

He is currently considering a number of options to encourage more public involvement. These include maintaining part of the cemetery for local wildlife and getting local groups to take responsibility for certain areas, including a number of paupers’ graves dating back to the days of the town’s old workhouse.

Town mayor Cllr David Smith said, while councillors sympathised with the church’s plight, they were unable to provide funds for any religious organisations.

“But we have told Rev Herrick that we are willing to assist in whatever way we can,” he added.

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