A Victorian cemetery is hoping to land a Best in Britain title.
Mersea Road graveyard could be named Cemetary of the Year
Colchester's council-run graveyard in Mersea Road is in the running for a Cemetery of the Year award.
It is the first time the 63-acre cemetery has entered the competition.
It opened almost 150 years ago and has become final resting place for an astonishing 147,000 former townsfolk almost as many as are alive in Colchester today.
Manager Penny Stynes said: "That is why it is so important we touch everyone's lives.
"Everybody comes here, sooner or later."
"It's a lovely place to be," she said.
"There are lots of very well-kept memorial stones."
A team of judges will draw up a shortlist of entries to go through to the final, which will take place at the end of September.
Published Friday June 18, 2004
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