We'll do whatever it takes to save graves

Campaigners fear hundreds of years of Bradford's history will be lost if plans go ahead to move more than 1,000 graves from the burial ground at Great Horton Methodist Church.

Jane Pool a former member of the Undercliffe Cemetery Charity, who is heading the campaign with genealogist Dennis Naylor, said they were extremely encouraged by the support for the petition.

"The number of signatures we have collected demonstrates the strength of feeling people have about this proposal," said Miss Poole.

"We will continue to collect signatures and then hand the petition to the church."

Miss Poole said they would not rest until the graveyard had been saved.

"We will do whatever it takes to stop this going through even if that means lying in front of bulldozers.

Our heritage should be

preserved and our history protected it shouldn't be

sold to make a quick profit," she said.

Objections to the proposals must be received no later than Friday.

Under the plans human remains, tombstones and monuments from the burial ground at the rear of the church will be relocated to make way for a housing complex for the elderly.

A spokesman from Hanover Housing said: "We are in discussions with the church but it is in the very early stages.

"We have drawn up a scheme with our architects but no application for planning has been made as yet."

The remains will be re-interred in an area within the existing burial ground or church grounds that will be designated as a garden of remembrance. The tombstones and monuments will be disposed of.

The Great Horton Church Council will pay the reasonable cost of removal and re-interment or cremation and of such removal and disposal.

Anyone wanting to object to the proposals is asked to write to the minister, Reverend Paul Flowers,

at 14 Hollingwood Drive, Bradford, BD7 4DH by Friday, January 20.

Anyone wanting more information on the graves affected is asked to call (01274) 571341 or (01274) 572911.