Dangerous gravestones set to be laid flat in West Norfolk

West Norfolk council put yellow warning notices on some headstones after carrying out inspections in its five cemeteries and 15 so-called closed churchyards across the borough last year.

Of more than 8,000 memorials which were inspected, 900 were identified as being in need of repairs.

Families were given six months to arrange remedial work to those which were believed to be at risk of falling over.

Warning notices were fixed to some graves in council-run cemeteries and closed churchyards after inspections were carried out by officials last year (Image: Chris Bishop)

Now the authority has warned some 172 "high-risk" memorials are about to be laid flat in its cemeteries in "the near future".

“Testing of the council’s operational cemeteries took place in May and June last year, and of the diocese’s closed churchyards in October and November," a spokesman said.

“At that time we said we would give grave owners a period of time to undertake remedial works and we made efforts to identify and contact them."

While a number of grave owners have arranged for the work to be carried out, others are now about to be flattened because their owners could not be traced.

Affected cemeteries include Hardwick Road, in King's Lynn (Image: Ian Burt)

“Quotations are now being sought for this work to be carried out in the near future," the spokesman said.

The 172 graves are situated in council-run cemeteries at Gayton Road and Hardwick Road in King's Lynn, Alexandra Road in Hunstanton, Smeeth Road in Marshland St James and Police Road in Walpole St Andrew.

Warning notices were also placed on memorials which were deemed dangerous in 15 churchyards after inspections were carried out in October and November.

They included Terrington St Clement's Church, near King's Lynn, where more than 30 warnings were issued.

St Clement's Church at Terrington, near King's Lynn, was one of those where warnings were fixed to memorials (Image: Chris Bishop)

Villagers took to social media to protest at the move, with one asking: "When has anyone been injured by a falling headstone?" 

The council said flyers were fixed to graves because it did not hold records for church burial sites so could not contact affected families.

"The council is working with the Diocese to agree next steps for these closed churchyards," the spokesman said.