Ananova:

NATIONWIDE: Two cemeteries have been credited with dispelling the myth that graveyards are places of "doom and gloom".

The burial grounds at Melton Mowbray and Horden, both called Thorpe Road Cemetery, were labelled as the best places to be buried at the Cemetery of the Year Awards in Torquay.

They beat competition from 30 other cemeteries after they were assessed on their design, maintenance, facilities and initiatives to involve the local community.

Thorpe Road Cemetery in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, clinched first prize in the award for cemeteries with over 10 acres, while Thorpe Road Cemetery in Horden, County Durham was the overall winner in the under 10 acres category.

Awards administrator Kate Parker said: "The winners of the Cemetery of the Year Awards are the perfect embodiment of modern, well-run cemeteries and dispel the myth that cemeteries are places of doom and gloom.

"Thorpe Road Cemetery in Melton Road was immaculately maintained. You couldn't fault it.

"Horden's Thorpe Road Cemetery was very user friendly."

The runners-up in the above 10 acres category were Sheffield's Park Avenue Cemetery and last year's winner, Wolvercote Cemetery in Oxford.

The three runners up in best graveyard under 10 acres were Alperton Cemetery in Wembley, north London, Brignorth Cemetery in Shropshire and Syston Cemetery in Leicestershire.