Guided walks round Burnley Cemetery to reveal stories of tragedy and interest from the past

Organised by the Friends of Burnley Cemetery the first summer walk in the Tragedy Trail and graves of interest walk takes place on Sunday.

It will be led by author Julie Kayley who has written two books inspired by her many visits to the cemetery to visit the grave of her son Philip who died eight years ago at the age of 25.

An empathy and compassion for the many people laid to rest there, who had just an inscription on a headstone to remember them by, was sparked in Julie and she started making notes which then lead to her researching the British Newspaper Archives where she uncovered the stories telling horrific and extraordinary events.

This led to the publication of her two books, Chilling Events from Burnley's Past and Chilling Events from Lancashire's Past which include several fascinating stories from across the county including a massacre at Worsthorne, how four men died trying to save a boy who had fallen through ice in a quarry on Boxing Day in Burnley, the drowning of a young girl in the River Ribble at Clitheroe and the truly tragic story about the death of five young women from Nelson who drowned in a boating accident in the Lake District.

Burnley cemetery was opened in 1856 and is the last resting place of many prominent Burnley citizens. It also a number of war memorials that are of great historical interest.

Anyone who would like to join the walk on Sunday is asked to meet at the chapel on Rossendale Road at 1pm or the bottom of Cemetery Lane at 1-15pm.

Other walks in the programme, which will be led by Susan Barker, include: Friday, July 19th, 2pm, Padiham St John's. Tuesday, July 30th, 2pm, Blackburn Road cemetery, Padiham.

The cemetery walks are also part of the Heritage Open Days summer programme and there will be another walk around Burnley Cemetery on Saturday, September 14th with Padiham St John's featuring on Thursday, September 19th and Blackburn Road again on Saturday, September 21st.