REBUILDING work on a collapsed wall at one corner of the Fordington Cemetery off Kings Road, Dorchester could take 14 to 16 weeks.

The massive slump earlier in the year disturbed old graves leading Dorchester Town Council to appeal for relatives of the deceased to contact them – in case there needed to be exhumations and re-burials.

In the event, no close relatives came forward and exhumations and re-burials are now unlikely if Dorset Council agrees to a slightly different position for the rebuilt wall.

If planning and conservation officers are not happy with the proposed new line, then exhumations and re-burials, may still need to take place.

Part of the cemetery, adjacent to Holloway Road, remains closed for safety reasons with huge quantities of scaffolding propping up the embankment to keep it safe.

The state of the wall has meant that access to some graves, and the town's German War Memorial have been closed to the public.

Dorset Wildlife Trust says the cemetery is listed as a Site of Nature Conservation Interest, with its unimproved calcareous grassland needing to be protected as much as possible during the works.

Graves affected by the wall collapse were those who died between 1882 and 1892.

The wall collapse, described by the town council as "sudden and unexpected" sent tonnes of material crashing to the ground – mainly onto a car parking area, with no injuries or substantial damage, although just feet from an adjacent house.

Council staff quickly cleared the area, retaining much of the facing stone to be used for the re-build.

The start date for the works will be subject to design work and a contractor's availability and Dorset Council granting permission.

If planning consent is approved the rebuilt wall will be slightly stepped out from the original to add to its structural strength.