Bereaved families in Maldon will no longer have to endure long journeys to attend their loved ones cremations, if plans for a new crematorium in Woodham Mortimer go ahead.

Currently, residents must travel to Chelmsford Crematorium or further afield to Basildon and Colchester, which can entail a drive of 40 minutes or more.

These facilities are already very busy, with both Basildon and Chelmsford holding around 2500 cremations every year - this amounts to ten per day.

The developer of the proposed Woodham Mortimer crematorium, Elegy, wants to offer Maldon residents a quieter, more local option.

Richard Evans, the director of Elegy, said: "There is an urgent need to relieve the pressure on Chelmsford crematorium so that families have the chance to hold a more personal event close to home."

He added: "We will create a natural, beautiful place with the existing landscape enhanced with extensive extra planting of trees, flowers, hedgerows and shrubs to create a spot befitting for a funeral."

Elegy is proposing to build the crematorium on the land opposite St Margaret's Church, off Maldon Road, in Woodham Mortimer.

The crematorium would seat 100 people and hold up to four funerals per day - a minimum of an hour would be allowed for each service.

Local funeral directors have praised the plans.

Paul King, who holds funerals across the district, said: "I have long felt that there was a need for families from Maldon to have their own crematorium and I think Elegy has picked an ideal spot, which will greatly reduce journey times for bereaved families across the district.

"The building is very discreet and will sit against a woodland backdrop.

"I think it will offer something quite different and special."

Elegy will be holding an exhibition of the plans in Woodham Mortimer Village Hall on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 October.