A TRANQUIL water mill crematorium is planned at a woodland cemetery.

Robin Gerrard, manager of the New Manchester Woodlands Cemetery at Mosley Common, says the aim is to get away from a "factory funeral" setting.

He has submitted plans to Wigan Council for a small, single storey, oak-framed water mill style lodge tucked-away in a peaceful corner.

Cemetery directors say their aim is to provide facilities which fill a much needed void in the area.

A crematorium at the eastern end of the borough would be an alternative to the out-of-area Overdale option.

And Wigan councillors have previously investigated the need for additional facilities other than provided at Wigan Crematorium.

Mr Gerrard feels the "The City" crematorium idea would bridge that gap. He also highlighted on-site Muslim burial facilities - which could meet a demand described in last week's Journal.

He said:"We haven't had any Muslim ceremonies as yet, but 60 plots have been reserved by an Eccles group."

Regarding the crematorium plan Mr Gerrard explained:"All the engineering works would be underground - we want something in character with the woodland setting."

Open for just over a year, the 12-acre cemetery is one of the Association of Nature Reserve Burial Grounds.

It already offers "green" funerals and environmentally friendly cardboard coffin burials as well as more traditional send-offs.

And the directors claim the attraction for many is site security with 24-hour camera cover, laid-flat headstones, tree planting and a back-to-nature approach.

Summing-up Mr Gerrard said:"It doesn't look like a cemetery and people have the reassurance this will be a cemetery and a woodland for ever."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.