Safety audit carried out on church headstones

Over time, memorials could become loose or unstable due to natural wear, ground movement, or weathering

Gravestones in one of Cornwall's oldest churchyards are being tested to check they are stable as part of a regular audit.

Saltash Town Council, in collaboration with St Stephen's Church, have started checking the headstones to ensure the site remains safe for visitors.

Authorities have to inspect headstones in cemeteries at least every five years to make sure dangerous or unstable memorials are identified and made safe.

Over time, memorials could become loose or unstable due to natural wear, ground movement, or weathering.

Across the UK there have been serious accidents, including fatalities, where unsafe memorials were not addressed in time.

Saltash Town Council, which started inspections on Monday, said where necessary, memorials would be temporarily made safe, either by being laid flat or secured with supportive equipment.

It added details of the inspection would be reported directly to the church.

The council said it recognised it was a sensitive matter and wished to reassure the public that all inspections would be carried out with the utmost care, dignity, and respect for the families and visitors of St Stephen's churchyard.

Ian Bovis, from Saltash Town Council, explained that if headstones leaned too much they would have to be laid down flat

Rachel Bullock, mayor of Saltash, said: "It is very important to Saltash, it's full of lots of Saltash great and good going back in time...

"We have lots of war graves here and the graves of Saltash firemen that all sadly died during the Blitz.

"Going forward it's important to keep this history preserved."