One foot in the grave

A picturesque beauty spot in Southern Italy has had so many requests from Italian and foreign tourists to be buried there they have agreed to sell 150 tombs - and that's not all - each tomb will be wired with long distance technology to allow relatives to keep in touch with their buried loved ones...

The ancient hilltown of Pollica, which boasts beautiful views over the well known beach resort of Palinuro and the fishing village of Acciaroli, has long been a favourite tourist hotspot.

It has been voted Italy's second prettiest spot and many tourists fall so in love with it that they want to stay - for all eternity.

Mayor of Pollica Angelo Vassallo, says that they have received so many requests from people who wish to be buried there they have bowed to pressure and will be selling grave plots to tourists.

Mayor Vassallo said, "We've decided to sell 150 tombs and, what's more, give them the long-distance technology needed for distant relatives to commune with their dear departed."

Now, you may think this sounds slightly far fetched and you would be right - a webcam will be operational round the clock and there will also be a new sound system to give relatives a feel of the meditative atmosphere.

This way, relatives who have loved ones buried in the graveyard will be able to log on and see the place where they are buried and remember happier times.

The webcam will pan around the ‘Costantinopoli' graveyard, tracking from the bay view to the ancient Greek ruins of Velia and up to the snowclad heights of Mount Stella. There is a rose garden in the graveyard and towering Cypress trees.

The main reason why the graveyard has available plots is because of the increasing Italian trend towards burial in wall niches rather than the ground.