Grave inspectors checking gravestones at Cradley Cemetery (From Halesowen News)

Grave inspectors checking gravestones at Cradley Cemetery

3:41pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in News

Dudley Council are checking headstones at Cradley Cemetery to ensure graves are safe for people to visit.

The checks started in the authorities other cemeteries in 2007 and all larger memorials in the borough have now been inspected.

The inspections are being carried out in response to government guidelines and any headstones found to be unstable will be repaired with the costs met by the council.

Councillor David Stanley, cabinet member for environment and culture, said: “This work continues to be carried out very sensitively and our staff are always available to speak to families directly should they wish to do so. The work will continue on a rolling programme and having completed checks at a number of our cemeteries we will now be moving on to to Cradley and Lye and Wollescote.”

The work will continue on an ongoing basis and it is hoped that all lawn memorials will be inspected and made safe within the borough’s seven cemeteries in the next two to three years.

The borough’s seven cemeteries are Stourbridge, Gornal Wood, Dudley, Brierley Hill, Cradley, Halesowen and Lye and Wollescote.