HUNDREDS of Bicester residents have signed a petition against plans to build above-ground graves near their homes.

Residents also lobbied town councillors this week, wrote to local MP Tony Baldry and sent letters of objection to Cherwell District Council.

Bicester Town Council is considering building above-ground cemeteries on three sites around Bicester at St Mary's Close, Priory Lane and Pingle Field. None of the sites are suitable for traditional burials because of the type of soil and water table level, but they are all suitable for the above-ground concrete graves the council is considering.

Wendy Honour, 63, of Kennedy Road, said: "When I read it in the paper I though it was a joke."

Her husband Terry, 65, said: "To suddenly put a cemetery in the middle of a residential area is madness. It's the access, the narrow roads here, it's a dangerous turn on to Middleton Stoney Road, there's nowhere to park."

He added he was angry the developers behind the town's new south west estate had not been forced to contribute land for a cemetery.

Janet Phillips, of St Mary's Close, said: "How would you like to open your windows and doors in the morning and see tombstones?"

Shirley Court, of Aldergate Road, was so worried about the plans she wrote to Mr Baldry - who replied saying he would take the matter up with the chief executive of Cherwell District Council.

And at a Bicester Town Council meeting, St Mary's Close residents Ron Phillips and Ted Redmayne told councillors how strongly residents felt.

Mr Phillips has sent a 600-signature petition against the plans to Cherwell District Council.

But town council leader Debbie Pickford insisted nothing had been decided.

She said: "We are extremely short of cemetery land. We have approximately 18 months left.

"We are testing the waters of planning to see whether we could get any permission at all."

Residents in Priory Lane have also written to Cherwell District Council opposing the plans.