MORE than 700 angry residents signed a petition urging Newport council not to turn their recreation area into a cemetery.

City council bosses are considering extending St Woolos cemetery to cover a large part of the Glasllwch playing fields, creating space for up to 3,000 new graves.

But locals claim the playing fields, which form part of the Sirhowy Valley Walk, are an essential local resource.

Now, as a 750-name petition against the move is handed to council bosses, local councillor Matthew Evans claims the decision appears to have already been made.

He said cash which was earmarked for the improvements at Glasllwch playing fields was spent elsewhere in anticipation of the cemetery extension.

Opponents of the scheme claim the £50,000 pot of cash, gained from the developers of the former Tredegar Park Golf Club site, was instead spent on a drainage scheme in Rogerstone.

Council bosses deny this and say the money has yet to be spent.

They also say they are still consulting on how to resolve the cemetery crisis and the decision to extend St Woolos is not a done deal.

Allt-yr-yn councillor Matthew Evans told a council meeting: "The wheels seem to have been set in motion before the consultation even began. It sends the wrong message to people."

More than 60 residents gathered at the civic centre for a meeting to discuss the cemetery proposals.

Chris Mitchell lives in Vancouver Drive, close to the Glasllwch site. He said: "It's scandalous. It seems that they may have already made the decision."

St Woolos and Christchurch cemeteries have just seven years' capacity left, while Caerleon cemetery has an estimated 50 years left.

A council forum has called for a full report to give detailed figures on each cemetery and what the options are for providing further grave spaces.

Commenting on councillor Evans's fears a council spokesman said: "The sum of money was made available by housing developers in Rogerstone to improve leisure facilities in the area.

"The money will either be spent on improving the Glasllwch playing-field or at the new Rogerstone school.

"Both these options will remain under consideration pending the outcome of the ongoing review into cemetery space in Newport."

A public meeting will be held at the civic centre on July 19, where the cemetery situation will be discussed.