The poor state of graves of British people in cemeteries abroad has led Seend resident Anthony Lake to set up a charity to preserve them.

Mr Lake, a British Army officer who retired 18 months ago after 36 years, aims to raise £600,000 a year to maintain thousands of graves.

His charity, The Overseas Cemeteries Trust, will maintain cemeteries where men, women and children who lived, worked and died overseas in the service of the British Empire are buried.

As well as military personnel the cemeteries include civilians who travelled and worked abroad in jobs including administration and trading.

Mr Lake, 56, was astonished to find that no-one was responsible for maintaining such graves and in some countries they are in a very bad state.

He said: "I had presumed that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission was responsible for maintaining these overseas cemeteries but that is not the case. It has a very narrow remit, which is to maintain the graves of the victims of the two world wars and, with very few exceptions, no others.

"When we relinquished British colonies the countries didn't want anything to do with us. Now these countries realise that the cemeteries are part of their heritage and are pleased to attract visitors and our project provides employment for cemetery workers."

Mr Lake launched the charity in March in London in the presence of the Duke of Edinburgh who is supporting the project.

Mr Lake, a former Lt Col who served with the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment and the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment, said: "A tremendous number of people in this country who have a passion for genealogy and family history have relatives buried abroad. We plan to digitise the cemetery records in five to eight years time so people can access them online. These cemeteries can become an invaluable, historical, genealogical and educational resource."

Mr Lake plans to employ four disabled employees. He hopes to secure major funding from corporate companies in the City of London.

The first phase of work has begun at cemeteries in South Africa and India.