aMUSLIMS could be buried alongside Christians in a village graveyard, under plans being debated.

Wear Valley District Council is considering setting aside 50 burial plots in its graveyard at Witton-le-Wear, County Durham, for Muslims.

The council estimates that 200 Muslims live in the district, and expects numbers to rise over coming decades.

The practice of people from different faiths being buried in the same place is common in large towns, but rare in rural areas.

It is quite common practice throughout the UK for local authority-owned cemeteries to be sectioned off for different religious groups like we have in Blackburn with Darwen cemetery.

In rural areas it is rare, there is a lot of education work required, but let me assure the Christian community that Muslims are very respectful of resting places, whether they are Muslim, Christian or Jewish.

Muslims and Christians share many common beliefs regarding death and the afterlife, including the idea of judgement and accountability to God.

Many Muslims like to visit their loved ones just as the Christian community.

It is about understanding each others faiths/beliefs.

COUNCILLOR SALIM MULLA, vice-chair, Lancashire Council of Mosques.