BUSINESS owners in Wantage were told to expect up to 1,000 mourners at a traveller funeral in town yesterday, but only a quarter of that number attended.

Police told pubs and other businesses to expect hundreds of mourners in a large procession through the town, following a funeral service at the Church of Ss Peter and Paul at 2pm.

In the end, about 250 people went to the church service and to the Chain Hill cemetery afterwards.

Police spokesman Rhianne Pope said: “Apart from a few minor parking issues on Priory Road, there were no issues reported.”

Police had emailed pubs in advance to ask if they had taken any particularly large bookings for the day, to judge whether any extra officers might be required.