Cemetery closed over 'risk to life' gravestones

Dozens of gravestones at the site in Martin, near Woodhall Spa, are said to be in a dangerous condition

A Lincolnshire cemetery has been closed to the public after an inspection revealed serious safety concerns, leaving families unable to visit the graves of loved ones.

The site at Holy Trinity Church in the parish of Martin and Martin Dales, near Woodhall Spa, was shut following a recent inspection by North Kesteven District Council (NKDC), which found 57 gravestones and memorials were unstable and posed a risk to safety.

Vicky Johnson's mother and sister, who were killed in a car crash in 2005, are buried in the cemetery.

She said: "It was the 20th anniversary of their death. I came to put flowers down and have a little chat. When I got there, there was just this fence. I couldn't get in."

Vicky Johnson is one of a number of people prevented from visiting the graves of loved ones

Some of the gravestones posed a risk to life, inspectors said.

Ms Johnson, 47, said the closure is "upsetting and frustrating".

She added: "The gravestones have been falling for years. I don't understand why it's taken so long to act. You pay a lot of money to be buried in a graveyard."

Ms Johnson urged the council to act swiftly.

"It needs to be a priority," she said.

The graveyard includes an active burial area and an older section where no new interments take place.

Responsibility for the site is shared between the Church of England, the parish council, and NKDC, which carries out inspections and maintenance.

Will Jenkins, chairman of the parish council, said it was "blindsided" by the announcement.

He added: "We were happily going along maintaining our part of the graveyard. We were then told, categorically, we can't go in there."

Jenkins said the scale of the issue was "almost unprecedented."

"Normally, these graveyards have been around for over a century and the ground is stable. But here, it's become unsafe."

According to churchwarden Peter Bennett, rain over the last three years, and a population of rabbits are thought to have caused the problem.

Fencing has been installed to stop people accessing the graveyard at Holy Trinity Church in Martin

A North Kesteven District Council spokesperson said: "Everyone involved appreciates the delicacy of the situation and together with both Martin Parish Council and Holy Trinity Parochial Church Council, and the Diocese of Lincoln, [we] are working to plan a way forward, but unfortunately this is not a quick process."

Signs have now been put up informing people of the closure

In a statement, the Diocese of Lincoln said: "We understand how distressing it can be when an area of remembrance becomes inaccessible due to safety concerns. As the district council have noted, the priority must be people's safety at this time.

"We are working with local council bodies who have responsibility over the area to see a positive and sustainable solution as soon as it is feasible."

In the meantime, the parish council is now exploring options to reopen at least part of the site.

One proposal involves installing fencing to create a safe pathway to newer graves that are not thought to be dangerous, but it is expected to cost thousands of pounds to install.

A public meeting is due to take place on Thursday evening at the village hall and church to update residents and gather contact details for ongoing updates.

Officials are also considering a temporary memorial area outside the church for those unable to access the cemetery.