Apology over staked gravestones

The council apologised to families who have been distressed

A Surrey council has apologised to families distressed by the staking of cemetery headstones for safety reasons.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council said it made the move to secure unsteady and dangerous gravestones "diligently and with sensitivity".

Cllr Julian Ellacott said 433 memorials were staked and banded at Redstone Cemetery, Redhill, after an inspection.

He said: "We are sorry that the results have distressed families and friends who visit the cemetery."

And he added that "this temporary measure of staking the unsteady and dangerous gravestones is for one year while we arrange for a more permanent solution".

'Sensitive approach'

According to the authority, the oldest gravestone that had to be staked dated back to the 1960s.

The owners of the 433 unsafe gravestones have been sent letters, it said.

Mr Ellacott said: "We appreciate that testing and making safe memorials may upset bereaved families and we apologise for the inconvenience it has caused but the safety of visitors to our cemeteries is a priority."

"I am aware that in some parts of the country any headstones which fail the test are immediately taken down and laid flat.

"As a council we decided that staking the headstones and giving relatives time to make them safe was a more sensitive way of doing things."