FEARS of "traffic bedlam" prompted the refusal of plans for Lancashire's biggest woodland burial site.

Ribble Valley Council's planning committee threw out the scheme for a site opposite Northcote Manor, in Old Langho, close to the A59 after widespread opposition.

Under the plans by Blackburn businessman Sabir Esa, the 26-acre site would be used to for woodland burials, where 9,000 trees would have been planted on top of graves.

In a submission to the meeting, Mr Esa said there was massive demand for such a project, particularly from the Muslim community in both Ribble Valley and Blackburn with Darwen.

A report to the committee said around three burials were expected to take place a week, but concern was expressed about the numbers attending, causing a large number of vehicles to travel down narrow Northcote Road.

It stated that large numbers of Muslims attending graves and funerals at Pleasington Cemetery in Blackburn caused traffic problems within the cemetery, but police ensured free-flow of traffic outside.

Concern was also expressed at the impact families turning up to pray at gravesides during the holy Eid festival, an Islamic custom, could cause.

The report stated: "The applicant has indicated such practice would be discouraged but should the community refuse to accept such guidance there could be serious problems."

Traffic simulations by council officers had also shown the cemetery could cause serious congestion at the Petre Arms on the A59, which "would significantly increase the risk of accidents and be detrimental to safety and freeflow of traffic."

Coun Stuart Hirst told the committee: "What we don't know is the traffic bedlam it could cause if a large burial, with hundreds of cars coming along, took place at the same time as the Royal Lancashire show down the road.

"There are real road problems with this which I don't think have been addressed."

Coun Frank Dyson, leader of the Lib Dem group on Ribble Valley Council, said: "No-one can quarrel with the idea of woodland burial but we have to ask if it is suitable for people to buried from Blackburn with Darwen in the Ribble Valley at this site. Is it sustainable, we have to ask, and I think the answer is no.

"There surely are more suitable sites closer to Blackburn with Darwen, which is presumably where many of the vehicles would come from. The traffic problems, I have to say, would be major.

Craig Bancroft, joint owner of Northcote Manor, spoke for the objectors and highlighted the potential traffic problems.