Council chiefs brought in mechanical diggers to speed up the major grave digging operation at the Sixmile Cemetery in County Antrim as the coronavirus death toll in the area continues to rise. There have now been 36 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Antrim and Newtownabbey, where the cemetery is situated.

As a council we have to fulfil our statutory duties, one of which is the provision of burials

Council spokesman

Officials said the prepartaroty work had been carried out in case cemetery workers were stricken by the killer bug in the coming weeks.

A spokesman for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council said: “As a council we have to fulfil our statutory duties, one of which is the provision of burials.

“We have undertaken a programme of preparatory works to ensure we can meet this requirement, particularly in the context where we might experience any reduction in cemeteries staff due to illness.”

The spokesman did not comment on  how many graves were being dug.

But drone footage of the grave-digging work posted on social media showed a fleet of lorries and mechanical diggers and what appear to be at least 40 graves being excavated.

Family members are no longer able to visit the graves at the Sixmile Cemetery and the adjacent Belmont Cemetery and only two mourners and a member of the clergy are allowed to attend funerals.

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Other than for burials, cemeteries will be closed. The erection of headstones has also been suspended until further notice.

The council said it “understands that these restrictions will be very difficult for people who have lost loved ones, but we all must play our part in stopping the spread of this virus”.

The shocking images from Co Antrim emerged as Nothern Ireland health chiefs confirned a tower block at Belfast City Hospital was being set aside for 230 coronavirus patients.

The distinctive tower will be staffed by a team drawn from across Northern Ireland.

A spokesman for Stormont’s Department of Health said: “Establishing this Nightingale facility will require significant temporary reconfiguration of existing critical care provision across our hospital network.

“Work is in train to make necessary infrastructure alterations within the tower block. It will also be necessary for a proportion of current non-Covid patients in the tower block to receive their care in an alternative location.”

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The Department of Health also announced critical care capacity was being boosted at the Ulster Hospital in Co Down and Altnagelvin in Londonderry.

The Eikon event centre on the site of the former Maze Prison near Belfast is under consideration to further increase the number of beds available later this year in preparation for any further wave of Covid-19.

Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann said: “I fully recognise the challenges these emergency arrangements will present for staff, with new ways of working and in many cases a new workplace location.

“I am determined that we will do everything possible to support them and their colleagues across the health and social care system as they take on the many challenges that COVID-19 brings.

“We owe them all a debt that can never be repaid. I also give a commitment that the trade union side will be kept informed as the plan is rolled out.”

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