A FAMILY is calling for action at a burial ground after a relative’s funeral had to be postponed because of flooding.

Sally Bowers, 69, said up to 200 people were due to attend her sister Emily James’ funeral at Berinsfield Burial Ground on February 4.

But the family, including Mrs James’ 74-year-old widower husband John, only found out the service could not go ahead when they arrived.

The ceremony had to be postponed until the following day when only 40 people were able to attend.

Berinsfield Parish Council, which owns the cemetery, said the village lies on an artesian well, so any hole dug more than 5ft deep can fill with water.

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But after Mrs Bowers’ complaint, the council said it will look into drainage for the cemetery.

Mrs Bowers, who, like her sister was born and raised in the village, said: “To have your sister taken to her grave then taken back again is heartbreaking.

“It’s bad enough losing my sister, but a lot of people came from a long way away and couldn’t come the next day.

“It was so stressful and heartbreaking and it caused a lot of upset.”

The family had to wait overnight while undertakers S&R Childs of Abingdon found a waterproof liner for the grave.

Mrs Bowers, who lives in Green Furlong with husband Andrew, said she wanted Berinsfield Parish Council to act.

The mum-of-one and grandmother-of-one, who used to work at Sandford Paper Mill, said: “I think it’s disgusting. I want the council to sort out the drainage.”

Council chairman Ken Hall said everyone in the village was aware of the problem.

Parish council clerk Annette Loveland said although the water was a problem, Mrs Bowers’ was the first complaint the council had received in 140 burials since the cemetery opened in 1997.

She said: “I have expressed my compassion to Mrs Bowers because I can understand their feelings.

“We are trying to address Mrs Bowers’ concerns.”

She said she planned to speak to Grove Parish Council, which had a similar problem but installed drainage to deal with it.

Grove Parish Council, which opened its Denchworth Road cemetery in the early 1990s, said it quickly discovered the problem and installed pipes that allow water to drain away.

Environment Agency operations manager Barry Russell said the water table in Oxfordshire would be higher than average at the moment because of inclement weather over the past year.