ALTHOUGH you can understand why cemeteries were initially closed to the public for visits to graves, reversing that decision is the right move.

That's because looking after your mental health during the coronavirus lockdown is so important and for many people, going to the cemetery to spend time at the grave of a loved one plays a huge part in keeping them emotionally strong.

As long as people abide by the social distancing rules, going to a graveyard is no different than walking in your local park to get your daily exercise: you can do it safely.

As Charlotte Frost explained to our reporter so eloquently, her weekly trips to Astwood Cemetery in Worcester to 'visit' her grandparents are paramount to her own mental health. "Not being able to go to my safe place which is beside their gravestone and speak to them in such tranquillity was something I was mentally struggling with," she said, and I'm sure many other people felt the same way.

There isn’t a limit on the number of people who can visit the cemetery grounds, but the city council is asking all visitors to observe the rules on social distancing while there.