Friends of the Earth campaigner Janet Cullup says people should be buried in cardboard coffins in Bicester's new "green" cemetery.

Her idea for the cemetery behind St Edburg's Church is being backed by the town council. People who want to be buried there will be able to request wildflowers or small trees instead of a headstone in a new extension.

Mrs Cullup said: "All the funeral furniture that goes with burials is so expensive and does nothing to help the environment.

"In cremations, the wood and glue of the coffins releases a lot of toxins into the atmosphere."

She said people could be buried in coffins of recycled cardboard and have trees and flowers planted around the grave.

The Rev Philip Ball, team rector of Bicester and parish priest of St Edburg's, has given his backing to the plans. He said: "I have no objections to the idea.

"We can have a Christian burial where flowers and trees are planted instead of having the conventional headstone."

The green cemetery is not in use yet as there is still space in the cemetery's first extension.

But the town council agreed to draw up guidelines showing what can and cannot be allowed before it becomes operational.

Angela Daymond, town council community landscape officer, said: "A combination of plots for green burials, either with tree planting or wildflowers, could be integrated into the layout."

The Rev Ian Bowley, of Bicester Methodist Church, said people had been planting trees for loved ones for many years.

He said: "I have no opinion one way or another. If people want to plant trees or flowers, I don't have any problem with it."

"If people can't plant trees or flowers at the cemetery, then they'll only plant them somewhere else."

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