Cemetery safety check

Unstable headstones can be a danger

A third cemetery in Rotherham is to be checked for safety.

The borough council's two cemetery wardens will be inspecting Greasbrough cemetery next month to see that headstones are secure.

This follows accidents at burial grounds in other parts of the country including one in Harrogate in which a six-year-old boy was killed in July 2000.

The first two audits of cemeteries in Rotherham - at Haugh Road in Rawmarsh and Masbrough cemetery - revealed many problems.

Average person

During the inspection, an instrument is used that simulates the weight an average person would place on a headstone if they were to lean on it.

If the stone fails the test, efforts are made to try and find the relative responsible for the grave.

This can be difficult as cemetery records are not always up to date.

If the relative cannot be found, a yellow warning notice is placed on the headstone.

Councillor Sue Ellis said: "People are often understandably upset when we have informed them that their headstones are unsafe.

"But under health and safety regulations and in the interests of everyone's safety, memorial owners will be required to carry out some maintenance where their headstones are found to be unstable."

Once the Greasbrough inspection is complete, the wardens will start work at the other six Rotherham cemeteries that also have to be checked.