A church has come under fire over plans to dig up thousands of bodies - including the founder of Western Australia - to make way for a car park. St John's Stoke church, in Guildford, Surrey, wants to build a community centre in its grave yard and replace the current centre with a car park. But the scheme, which would see remains dug up, cremated and reburied in a mass grave, has already sparked outrage with opponents producing a 1,400-signature petition in a bid to save the graveyard. St John's Stoke church (pictured), in Guildford, Surrey, wants to build a community centre in its grave yard and replace the current centre with a car parkSt John's Stoke church plans to build new community centre and car parkBut scheme would involve digging up thousands of bodies in graveyardThe church, in Guildford, Surrey, is the resting place of Sir James StirlingHe was the first governor of Western Australia and a British navy admiralOpponents of the graveyard plan have produced a 1,400-signature petition
Stirling became an admiral in the 1860s and died in retirement at _ on April 22 1865.