BEREAVED families are waiting to hear if their loved one's ashes will have to be dug up if a crematorium gets planning permission for a second funeral chapel.

Chilterns Crematorium, in Whielden Lane, Amersham, needs the second chapel to keep pace with the 3,000 plus cremations carried out per year.

The crematorium, which serves Aylesbury, Wycombe and virtually the whole of South Bucks, says with just one chapel families sometimes have to wait while another service ends and there is no opportunity for services to run for more than half an hour.

But crematorium bosses fear their plans for an additional chapel may upset some families and are inviting the public to contact them if they have any concerns. The crematorium has already consulted the next of kin where possible informing them of the memorial plaques' new location.

Chilterns Crematorium has applied to Chiltern District Council to move memorial plagues, as well as an area which could have been used for scattering ashes to make way for the new building.

However, the affected topsoil will be carefully removed and reused in landscaping works in the gardens.

Charles Howlett, the superintendent at the crematorium, said: "We have done everything we can to try and make sure we are informing everyone we can, and realise the sensitivity of the issue.

"With regard to the ashes, the official scattering areas are the woodland. Some individuals have scattered things unofficially in some parts of the gardens and for this reason the topsoil will be carefully removed and will be re-used.

"Any soil containing visible ashes will be carefully retrieved and scattered in woodland nearby."

Call 01494 724263 or write to The Superintendent, Charles Howlett, Chilterns Crematorium, Whielden Lane, Amersham, Bucks HP7 0ND if you have any concerns.