Families of those buried in cemeteries across Newcastle are being invited to contact the council if they have concerns about vital safety work taking place this Autumn.
Newcastle City Council has this week confirmed safety inspections will continue in the city’s cemeteries following a programme of activity last year.
Stronger legislation was introduced by Government following serious injury caused by large headstones falling onto children.
That included an incident in Glasgow in 2015 where an 8-year-old boy tragically died after a headstone fell on top of him.
A programme of work has been under way in Newcastle since June 2023 with 31,347 graves inspected by specially trained inspectors.
Nearly 4,000 were found to have structural or safety concerns with just over half being laid flat within the grave space due to risk of falling.
Contact was made with families of all those affected, where details were available, but council officers were unfortunately unable to contact all next of kin.
Further inspections are now set to take place in city cemeteries to ensure the council is meeting their statutory responsibilities.
Christine Herriot, Director of City Operations, Neighbourhoods & Regulatory Services, said there would “rightly be questions” if a serious injury did occur in the city.
She said: “We understand why any memorial testing programme would lead to concern from residents in the city. We know how sacred a grave is.
“We have huge amounts of sympathy for those who visited our cemeteries last year to pay respects to a loved one, and found a headstone laid flat.
“Councils now have statutory responsibilities to ensure headstones are stable following serious incidents across the UK.
“If a child was seriously injured in one of our city’s cemeteries, and we had not undertaken this programme, there would rightly be questions as to why we had not abided by that legislation or national guidance.
“We have always advertised these programmes, as we are doing now, and have placed notices in cemeteries across the city.
“Memorials are only laid flat if they are over 2ft tall, are of significant weight and are deemed to be at immediate risk of collapse.
“However, should it be necessary to lay the memorial down, our team will do so with the greatest care and attention.
“At times this will include the use lifting aids, straps, and rope to manoeuvre the stone into the corresponding grave space, ensuring to lower as carefully as we can to prevent damaging the stone or any memorial trinkets placed on the grave
“We will then endeavour to contact the next of kin listen associated with that grave to inform them of our action. Unfortunately not all details are up-to-date.
“That is why we are encouraging families with loved ones in cemeteries across our city to contact our bereavement services to ensure we have your details”.
If any headstones need to be repaired, attempts will be made to support them with wooden stakes and bands to keep them stable.
Temporary notices will also be placed on the memorial asking the plot holder to contact the council’s bereavement service.
Similar notices will be placed on gravestones that have been laid flat, and where the council have been unable to contact the next of kin.
Anyone who owns a headstone in one of Newcastle’s cemeteries should get in touch with the council if their details have changed.
Contact the council’s Bereavement Services by calling 0191 211 6941 or email memorialsafety@newcastle.gov.uk