Solihull will continue to restrict funeral mourners to 30 inside chapels across the borough as nationwide restrictions ease.

The easing of rules at funerals is set to change on May 17 following a Government announcement.

In Solihull the legal limit on numbers of mourners at funerals at gravesides in its cemeteries will ease from May 17.

However, "due to the size of its chapels," the current limit of 30 mourners will remain in place for services conducted inside.

Solihull Council says "this is to ensure sufficient space for social distancing and to keep venues Covid secure."

From 17 May, Solihull will allow mourners to backfill graves and up to two mourners to witness the cremator being charged inside.

Backfilliing graves and witnessing the cremator being charged have both been restricted during lockdown.

They are important to some mourners, usually for religious reasons.

A statement from Solihull Council said: "Mourners should wear face coverings, observe social distancing and use hand sanitizer.

"Nobody should attend funerals if they have COVID symptoms, have tested positive or are self-isolating.

"The council has decided to make it clear how the new rules will be interpreted locally as soon as possible, but all of the changes outlined above are subject to the next stage of the government’s roadmap going ahead on May 17."

The legal limit of 30 mourners has been removed nationwide by the Government as part of Step 3 of the roadmap, to take place from 17 May at the earliest.

On the Government website it says the number of people who can attend a funeral will be determined by how many people the venue, such as the relevant place of worship or funeral home, can safely accommodate with social distancing.

This includes both indoor and outdoor venues. Capacities of venues will vary, but many will allow significantly more than 30 people to attend