TOWN councillors and council staff in Marlborough are to take a softly-softly approach on the sensitive subject of wobbly gravestones.

Some councils have been severely criticised for allowing their staff to push over any graveyard monuments they consider a health and safety risk.

Members of Marlborough Town Council have agreed that while a health and safety audit on the town's two cemeteries is essential, no headstones will be laid down before families are consulted.

The council's health and safety officer, Gordon Heath, is carrying out checks on all the council's facilities and is about to begin risk assessments on both the old and new cemeteries in Free's Avenue.

He told members of the recreation and amenities committee: "Initially we will be looking at the larger memorials that pose most risk."

Mr Heath said accurate records would be kept of all the memorials inspected together with photographs.

He added: "This is a very important and sensitive issue."

Town clerk Graham Gittins said that when councils were first required to carry out graveyard assessments two years ago some other councils went about it the wrong way.

He said: "We have no intention of being cavalier like some other places in the past and desecrating graves without contacting families."

Councillors were given an assurance that any memorials or headstones found to be a health and safety risk would be marked with a high visibility tape as a warning to people.

The council would then make every endeavour to contact relatives before remedial action was taken.

Mr Gittins said: "There will not be any laying down of monuments."

Deputy mayor Coun Hilary Cripps said her own family and others had been deeply offended when a local council in Cornwall had instructed its staff to push over any monuments they felt were unsafe.

She said: "The council made no effort to contact any of us."