A solemn Victorian horse-drawn hearse made its way through the pouring rain to the reopening of a neglected cemetery. The hearse carried a yew tree which was planted to mark a £5 million revamp of Arnos Vale Cemetery in Bristol.

The beauty spot, home to more than 60,000 graves and monuments, was left to decay for more than 30 years before the restoration project, a spokeswoman for the Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust said.

She said the 171-year-old cemetery was reopened in time for the bank holiday weekend so members of the public could explore the 45-acre park land grounds, monuments and buildings.

More than 100 people attended the opening event including the Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Chris Davies, and members of the Friends of Arnos Vale action group, which led a campaign to save the cemetery from the threat of redevelopment.

Arnos Vale Charitable Trust chair Lori Streich said: "This is an exciting day for the many thousands who recognised that Arnos Vale was too precious to lose.

"The start of a bright new future, sharing, honouring and celebrating the life stories of the individuals, great and humble, who have made our city, region and world what it is today."

Campaigners rallied together after private owners announced plans to clear a large section of Arnos Vale for commercial redevelopment in 1987.

The action group were finally triumphant in 2002 when Bristol City Council purchased the land, and passed it to the care of the Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust.

With funding from the council, English Heritage and Heritage Lottery Fund the restoration project was instigated by a dedicated team of volunteers.

Since the cemetery opened in 1839 more than 300,000 people have been laid to rest there.

The first person buried was Mary Breillat, the wife of the man who brought gas street-lighting to Bristol.