It was the dying wish of epilepsy sufferer Marina Rolfe to be buried next to her mother.

Her grieving family promised her they would fulfil that final request - only to be refused permission to lay the 54-year-old to rest in the same village churchyard as generations of her relatives.

The Rev Tom Gibbons, vicar of St Leonard's Church in Sunningwell, near Abingdon, has told family members there is not enough space available for them to bury Mrs Rolfe, 54, in the church grounds.

The news comes as a devastating blow to the family, who have had relatives buried there since 1721.

Mrs Rolfe's brother, Fred Harris, said: "My sister was a chronic invalid and was bed-ridden for much of her life. Her one dying wish was to be buried in the same churchyard as her mum and generations of relatives.

"Some family members may have moved away but Sunningwell is still the family home. Marina's aunt and cousins still live within the parish, we were all christened at the church and so were two of my children.

"If our family was a stranger to the village, I could accept it, but generations of our family have lived in the village, been christened in the village and died in the village. The vicar told me he won't allow her to be buried there because of a lack of space.

"However, he also admitted he has the discretion to allow it. "I think it's mean and it particularly hurts when we have just lost someone close, whose dying wish was to be buried close to her mother. We will now have to cremate her and she always dreaded that."

The cremation was due to take place yesterday (Tues, Oct 6) at Oakley Wood Crematorium at Leamington Spa. Mrs Rolfe lived in Banbury until her death last week with twin sister Marjorie.

Mr Harris and other relatives will visit his mother's Lena's grave today (Wed, Oct 7) where his sister's ashes will be scattered. Among family members watching will be Mrs Rolfe's 85-year-old aunt, Phyllis Cross, who has spent the last 65 years of her life in Sunningwell.

She said she knew Mr Gibbons and was planning to talk to him about it. She added: "Naturally, I'm disappointed because I know that's what Marina wanted."

Mr Gibbons was unavailable for comment, but the Rev Richard Thomas, spokesman for the Oxford Diocesan Board, said the church had to reserve the limited space for people in the parish who died.

He said: "The incumbent needs to reserve the small amount of space that is left for those who have the legal right."

"The rules say that they are people who die in the parish or are on the church electoral roll. Anything else is at the discretion of the incumbent and space is very tight."

He added Mr Gibbons had allowed the family to hold the private ceremony in the grounds.

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