West Norfolk council laying flat 172 'dangerous' gravestones

West Norfolk Council issued warning notices after inspecting more than 8,000 graves in cemeteries across the borough last year.

It says while it tried to contact owners of 900 memorials to request they carry out remedial works, some 172 which have not been attended to will now be "made safe".

Warning notices attached to three headstones in West Norfolk (Image: Chris Bishop)

The work is set to start from Monday, June 3 at 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.

Martin Chisholm, the council's assistant director of operations, said: "We are obliged to check these memorials and, where necessary, to make them safe.

"Where we have identified that a memorial is at risk of falling, we have made every effort to contact grave owners and we have given people time to undertake remedial works.

Officials carried out checks on memorials across West Norfolk last year (Image: Chris Bishop)

"We now plan to lay down the remaining 172 high-risk memorials but I would like to assure people that it will be done in a careful and respectful manner."

Memorials which have been described as "lower risk" will be monitored by the council’s staff until the next round of formal testing, due to take place in 2028.

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

A warning notice on a gravestone at Terrington St Clement (Image: Chris Bishop)

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

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