People wanting wider coffins when they are buried will be charged extra, a council said today.
Houghton Regis Town Council in Bedfordshire usually charges £129 for a burial plot at its cemetery. But from April, those needing a wider plot will be charged £194 - an extra £75.
Deputy Town Clerk Stuart Oliver said the charge was not aimed at the obese or overweight but could also affect those wanting wider-style coffins.
He said: "It was felt that, because these coffins would encroach on to another plot which could not then be used, it would seem reasonable to charge a little extra.
"It's related to the coffin size and the coffin width. If you choose an American-style coffin they are much larger than the traditional size and that would probably do it.
"We have quite a small cemetery and we are running out of space."
The council is believed to be one of the first in the country to implement the extra charge.
