A DISUSED cemetery which is home to 13 war graves is to get a major facelift.

Woodstock Town Council has agreed to spend £2,000 to spruce up 27 trees and bushes at the old burial ground in Hensington Road.

Parish clerk Peter Anderson said councillors had decided to make the work a priority. He said: "It's something that needs to be tackled - there's a lot to be carried out."

Mr Anderson said a variety of issues had spurred the town council to take action.

"Clearly health and safety in the cemetery is an important issue," he said, "as well as the health of the trees themselves.

"We haven't received any objections, but having said that we haven't really consulted as such.

"Before the work is carried out we will put notices up advising people - and if they have any concerns they can contact us."

The Royal British Legion has backed the work. Woodstock branch chairman Gordon Hollis, at the graves, said they were the resting place of soldiers who fought in the First and Second World Wars and were maintained by pupils from the town's Marlborough School.

He said: "I would like to see the council tidy up the place, because it really needs it. The grass gets cut, but some of the trees certainly need a bit of tender loving care.

"There are still several families in Woodstock who visit the war graves and they really appreciate the schoolchildren looking after them."

Canon Roger Humphreys, the rector of Woodstock, said: "It's a nice place to visit and it's important that it's maintained."