A TOWN council has defended its decision to allow cars into cemeteries.

Spennymoor Town Council allows visitors to the town's cemeteries to drive up maintenance and funeral roads if they have difficulty accessing the grounds on foot.

John Beech, of Kelloe, and his elderly mother Isobella, of Spennymoor, have appealed to the council to ban cars from Rock Road Cemetery where they visit his father John's grave.

Mr Beech said "If you cannot visit the graves of relatives without cars intruding it is a bad job. Cemeteries should be peaceful, respectful places for people to go for reflection and comfort.

"Some cars go too fast and because the road was laid for funeral vehicles it is not wide enough for cars to pass and there are wheel tracks ruining the grass."

The council said that the policy was introduced several years ago to assist people who found it difficult to walk to graves at the furthest edges of the cemeteries. It said signs indicating a 5mph speed limit have been erected for safety.

Acting clerk Alastair Franks said: "We have to make places like cemeteries as accessible as possible to those with mobility problems, like the elderly or disabled and have installed 5mph speed limit signs to discourage reckless drivers."