Ref. 72701-55RELATIVES visiting loved ones' graves thought vandals had struck when they arrived to see scores of gravestones knocked to the ground.

In their distress, they contacted the church only to be told the fallen gravestones were part of the church's latest health and safety check.

More than 25 headstones in the Wroughton Parish churchyard are now lying on the ground after workmen were instructed to look at any loose ones.

Stuart Dobson, a 46-year-old plumber, from Moormead Road, Wroughton, whose maternal grandparents are buried at the churchyard, says it has angered and distressed him and his mother.

His mother, 79-year-old Janet Dobson, went to visit the grave on Monday, the fourth anniversary of her mother's death.

Mr Dobson said: "It couldn't have happened at a worse time. Mum went down there on what was already a difficult day and she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Although her mother's gravestoner had not been laid down, Mr Dobson said she still found it very distressing.

"Thinking this was the work of vandals, she reported it to the vicar's residence only to be told that health and safety had been checking headstones to decide which ones were unsafe," he said.

"They went behind people's backs, taking down headstones without contacting relatives first. It just doesn't seem the right way to do things.

"It's usually vandals that do this sort of thing. For the council to be doing it themselves without notification is not right.

"Maybe a letter reminding us that the stone was leaning would do, rather than laying the gravestone down and then hoping the relative will pay to have it reinstated.

"These graves don't just tip overnight, they take decades to lean. This is just health and safety gone mad."

But Canon Michael Johnson, vicar at the Wroughton church, said it has a responsibility to keep its churchyard safe.

He said: "Obviously we take safety very seriously and have an annual inspection.

"We are sorry if we have upset people but we would rather that than people injuring themselves.

"Once a gravestone has become unfixed we have to do something about it.

"In order to make them safe for the time being we have carefully laid down the gravestones.

"We have the details of the people who are buried but it is not always possible to get in contact with relatives. We may know some of the families, but not all of them. We have put up notices around the graveyard."

The notices read: "The churchyard has recently had its annual inspection for safety.

"As a result a number of gravestones which were loose have been laid down. They may not be stood up again unless they are properly repaired.

"The repair and maintenance of headstones is the responsibility of the relatives of those buried in the churchyard."

Graveyards across the country have come under the scrutiny of the same health and safety standards.

Some local authorities even placed plastic bags over unsafe headstones, but this was a move Mr Johnson thought was insensitive.

Last year Swindon Council announced it would be spending around £70,000 to make its graveyards safe.

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Emma-Kate Lidbury