A pet crematorium will soon be opening in a Suffolk village after gaining unanimous approval at a planning meeting.

Sharon Boatwright, along with her brother Andrew, is hoping to open The Willows Pet Crematorium at Mill House, off Mill Lane in St James South Elmham, within the next four months.

The retired nurse, who spent 39-years at James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston, said she was “overwhelmed” at the approval.

The 59-year-old presented the application to Waveney District Council’s planning committee yesterday, March 13, and said: “A lot of people require help when going through the grieving process.

“As a retired nurse I know how to deal with bereaved people.”

The application will see two agricultural buildings at the property converted into a workshop to house machinery to perform small pet cremations and a waiting area for customers.

A specialist pet cremation incinerator will be installed in the workshop which will be able to perform a maximum of 15 cremations each week.

Miss Boatwright said: “Pet cremation is not a service you require every day but, nevertheless it is a service many pet owners may need at some time.

“There is no individual service of this kind available to the people of Waveney at this time.”

She added: “I can honestly say I will cremate the pets as if they were my own – I feel that passionately about it.

“Pets are an important part of people’s lives and should not just be cast away.”

The application also received support from St James South Elmham Parish Council.

Parish council chairman Chris Bradley said: “Miss Boatwright has made creditable efforts to discuss her proposals with residents of St James South Elmham and members of the parish meeting committee.

“In consequence, she has gained a good degree of support for her initiative.

“I approve the idea of seeking to bring appropriate new business activities to the village.”

Prior to the meeting the application received one objection which questioned the level of pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide emitted from the incinerator.

However the council’s Environmental Protection Team concluded the actual emissions of nitrogen oxide and particulates will not have a detrimental impact on local air quality.