Furious loved ones find 'unsafe memorial' stickers on 37 gravestones

27 November 2023 , 18:14

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The graveyard in St Clement's Church in Terrington St Clement, Norfolk (Image: Bav Media)

Shocked loved ones have been left reeling by insensitive officials who stuck "unsafe memorial" tags on 37 gravestones - many of which are brand new.

Residents in the pretty village of Terrington St Clement, Nofolk, say health and safety has "gone mad" after the King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council placed the bright yellow warning tags on the gravestones in their local churchyard.

Many were upset to see the yellow tags on their loved ones' gravestones, many of which aren't even wobbly, with one only being erected last year. Local Tom Crossman-Kellie said: "Who seriously sat down with the H&S team stifling a laugh when they said 'these leaning stones are a risk - someone could die if they fall at the wrong time. C'mon this is blatant misuse of H&S policies and guidance."

Many people were left upset at the insensitive stickers (Bav Media)

Another local, who did not want to be named, added: "It's health and safety gone mad. Many of the gravestones aren't even wobbly. It seems completely over-the-top." But it is not the first time the ugly safety tags have been used in recent years leaving relatives across Britain furious.

In 2018 almost 200 of the 3,800 graves at Efford Cemetery in Pymouth were emblazoned with the warning signs sparking outrage from families. And just last week families in Southampton were left distraught when Fair Oak Parish Council ripped out 45 headstones deemed to be unsafe at Fair Oak Cemetery.

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The incident has been blasted as 'over the top' (Bav Media)

In both instances, the local authorities cited health and safety concerns for the notices. According to law, responsibility for maintaining individual memorials generally remains primarily with those who erected them.

Local authorities, acting as burial authorities, have general powers of management in relation to public cemeteries. This includes power to take any action necessary to remove a danger that arises because of the condition of a vault, tombstone, or memorial.

Some of the gravestones were only erected last year (Bav Media)

However, the Ministry of Justice has recognised the need for great sensitivity and careful planning in the way that work relating to memorials is undertaken. The notices in Norfolk ask relatives to get in touch with the council, who say they have a duty of care to keep the graveyard safe. But angry locals were less than impressed.

Hank Pooley replied: "When has anyone been injured or seriously injured by a falling headstone?"
Ashley Bareford said it was "disrespectful" and said: "They are not unsafe. I haven't heard of anyone injuring themselves because of these headstones. It's just a load of crap. The council doesn't need to change anything."

A 'national standard' is used to measure a gravestone's safety, the council said (Bav Media)

A spokesperson for the council said: “All burial authorities have a general duty to maintain their burial grounds in good order, and to fulfil this duty we periodically carry out inspection programmes to identify unsafe memorials, and ensure they are made safe.

"A national standard is used to assess whether a memorial is safe or not. As such the age of the memorial isn’t considered – it is whether the memorial meets the standard.”

Adam Aspinall