'Bring your own spade': New Leeds funeral rules for burials and cremations start today

Mourners have been told they - or their funeral director - must bring their own spades for the backfilling of a grave during a burial.

Limits have also been put on the number of mourners who can be present - 10 mourners at a chapel and 20 at a burial and graveside service.

All mourners must stand two metres apart at all times.

The changes take effect from Thursday, March 26.

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A spokesman for Leeds Council said: "As part of steps to manage the impact of Coronavirus, and taking into account national guidance relating to social distancing, Leeds City Council has announced further alterations relating to its cemeteries and crematoria service.

"From Thursday, March 26, the number of mourners who will be allowed at an already arranged chapel funeral service, and at burials and graveside services will be restricted as follows:

"Up to 10 mourners can now only be present per chapel.

"Up to 20 mourners at burial and graveside services.

"We ask that mourners respect the two metre social distance rule at the graveside if wishing to backfill the grave. Both mourners and funeral directors must remain two metres away from council grave digging staff.

"The funeral director or family must also bring their own spades for the backfilling of a grave.

"Leeds City Council burial and crematoria team will continue to provide the service of backfilling the grave as normal.

"Some specific faith groups do wish to backfill the grave as part of the ceremony. If this is the case, we have asked that the funeral director or family must bring their own hand tools to do so in order to reduce the risk of cross contamination as part of restrictions to tackle Coronavirus.

"If mourners do not respect the social distancing rules when asked, the council may need to consider withdrawing mourner participation at the graveside and council staff will backfill the grave only when mourners are a safe distance away.

"Following guidance issued last week, the council will no longer be taking any new bookings for chapel funeral services. Any further bookings will be undertaken as ‘Direct Cremation Services’ only. A ‘Direct Cremation’ is a funeral which is not attended by mourners and has no service. In relation to burials, and the provision of ‘graveside services’, these burials can be booked and continue to go ahead as normal with the restrictions outlined above in terms of number of mourners and backfilling of grave.

"The elderly and anyone with underlying health conditions and pregnant women are particularly encouraged to pay attention to current government guidance and to consider not attending a chapel service or burial or graveside service."

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for environment and active lifestyles, said:

“We are continuing to monitor all of the guidance regarding Coronavirus very closely, and in what is very unprecedented times, we are having to make extremely difficult decisions in terms of the services we provide to ensure that the health and well-being of the public, council staff and partners and stakeholders we work closely with, is protected.

“With that in mind we will be introducing a number of further changes to the cemeteries and crematoria services provided by the council from March 26 in terms of numbers that can attend a pre-booked chapel funeral service or burial or graveside service, and information around backfilling of graves.

“We have updated funeral directors regarding these latest alterations, and will continue to keep the public fully informed of any further service changes.”