Funeral pyres 'no risk to health'

A traditional funeral took place in Northumberland in 2006

A group campaigning for Newcastle City Council to provide a dedicated site for open air cremations has said they do not pose a risk to public health.

The Anglo Asian Friendship Society wants Sikhs and Hindus to be able to carry out the traditional ceremony.

It commissioned a report by independent experts who concluded that they would not cause significant pollution.

Newcastle City Council rejected an application in 2006 on the grounds that it was illegal.

A judicial review to challenge the decision is expected to take place in November.

As public health was one of the main objections, independent experts were called in to investigate, using data from the 2001 foot and mouth crisis, and from Hindu pyres elsewhere.

Dr Ivan Vince, a health, safety and environmental specialist involved in the report, said: "We found that downwind of these pyres after a few hundred metres there was no significant pollution, and certainly no health risk."

Newcastle City Council said in a statement: "We feel it would be inappropriate to comment further while legal proceedings are taking place."

In 2006 a funeral pyre of Indian-born Sikh, Rajpal Mehat, was held in a secret location in Northumberland to highlight the campaign.