WORK will be carried out to exclude badgers that have made a home at a cemetery in Weymouth – although many may have already left the area.

Proposals agreed by Weymouth Town Council will see 55 entrance holes near graves being filled in, as recommended by Alder Ecology.

Experts were called in to advise after it was found that badgers had made a home at Wyke Regis Cemetery.

However according to reports, many of the tunnels are overgrown and appear to be vacant. The report also said no human remains were found to have been disturbed by burrowing.

Cllr Lucy Hamilton said when she visited she found many holes to be covered with a "curtain of cobwebs".

Badgers on the outskirts of the cemetery will be allowed to stay – for the time being – including those in an established sett hidden near the entrance.

To discourage badgers on the outskirts from coming in and setting up home, grounds maintenance is being carried out to a higher standard, including frequent grass cutting.

Presenting a report to a meeting of the services committee, Tara Williams, parks and open spaces manager, said the council is legally obliged to take action due to the health and safety risk to visitors and staff at the cemetery.

"It's not possible to just leave it", she said.

"Not only are the holes a trip hazard, people have contacted us and said they were distressed to find holes in their loved ones' graves."

Proposals to build a new home for the displaced badgers have been put on hold for now – councillors agreed that land will need to be purchased alongside the cemetery in order to do so.

"In the meantime we will have to carry out the filling of holes until we can look to procure land adjacent to cemetery to build an artificial sett", Tara Williams added.

Filling the holes will need a special licence and a badger specialist to carry out the work.

Cllr David Harris suggested sending the bill for the work to Dorset Council.

"They knew it was an issue when the councils changed, so they should take responsibility for this work", he said.

Weymouth Town Council took over maintaining the cemetery when assets from the former Weymouth & Portland Borough Council were divided between the town council and Dorset Council.

The agreed scheme is going to cost around £7,700, rather than the predicted £15,000, due to the plans for building an artificial sett being taken out.