Mystery of gravestone tippers after 87 headstones knocked down in cemetery
Grieving relatives have slammed a cemetery after headstones they thought had been vandalised turned out to have just been given a "topple test".
The gravestones appeared to have been targeted by sick and callous vandals at the cemetery in Haxby, near York, earlier this week. A total of 87 people's stones had been tipped over like a cruel game of dominos, leaving relatives devastated. But their devastation turned to fury when it transpired workmen had tipped over the memorials to test their durability for health and safety reasons. Tracey Smith, whose brother's headstone has been pulled down, described it as an "act of vandalism".
Headstones were tipped in a random pattern through the cemetery (Lee McLean/SWNS)"This has caused a lot of heartbreak and upset within the community as this has not been communicated with people who have not been given time to rectify issues," she said. A notice attached to the cemetery gates however said the stones would be toppled as a "mandatory exercise"
Haxby and Wigginton Cemetery Committee said they'd been laid flat as part of its "statutory health and safety requirement of running a cemetery" as they were unsafe. The Haxby Town Council-headed notice was dated October 9 - two days before they were knocked over. Mourners say they weren't given enough notice.
The notice says that all upright headstones had been subjected to an independent ‘topple test’ to see if they were safe. Some headstones had failed the test, it said, and would need to be laid flat.
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Loved ones said it was akin to vandalism (Lee McLean/SWNS)Kirsty Richmond said she should have been given earlier warning about the tests and would have wanted to witness the test to her father's gravestone. She said: “My dad’s was one of those which in our family’s opinion was not loose or leaning, we always check when we go. The option of repair has been taken away.”
A spokesperson for Haxby Town Council said: “There have been several meetings of the Haxby and Wigginton Cemetery Committee since November, the last of those was a few weeks ago when it was agreed to carry out its responsibility in testing the memorial stones which was carried out by a qualified stone mason.
“This does not mean they have not been tested in between this period but this was hand wobble testing at site visits by members.” Safety checks were introduced in British cemeteries to stop hefty memorials falling on people and killing them.
Families said the noticed did not give enough warning about the gravestones (Lee McLean/SWNS)According to official guidance, the so-called 'topple tests' are meant to involve workmen standing next to memorials and pushing them to see if they are unsteady. Home Office rules make it clear that relatives should be properly informed if their loved ones' graves are disturbed.
Haxby and Wigginton Cemetery Committee said in a statement: "Visitors will notice that a number of gravestones have been laid flat in the cemetery. The committee are not vandalising the cemetery, of which they have been accused, but rather meeting a statutory health and safety requirement of running a cemetery.
“Where a gravestone is loose and no longer safely fixed to the ground we are required to lay it down flat on the ground, as advised by a qualified stonemason, to ensure the safety of visitors to the cemetery. A gravestone's maintenance is the responsibility of the family who purchase the grave at the time and all those for whom we have information, acknowledging that some information we hold may not be up to date as no new details have been provided to us, will be contacted asking them to repair their graves.”
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