A cemetery has been shut off to the public after an inspection found it to be a “significant safety risk to the public”.
The graveyard and cemetery at Holy Trinity Church in Martin, Lincolnshire, was closed following a recent inspection by North Kesteven District Council, which revealed that 57 gravestones and memorials were unsteady.
The church said some of the larger gravestones weigh up to 350kg and could “tragically cause a fatality” if they were to collapse.
A notice posted at the cemetery read: “An inspection of the Cemetery and Graveyard at Holy Trinity Church, Martin was carried out on September 23 by the Building Inspector for North Kesteven District Council.
“Having noted that numerous gravestones and memorials were leaning and loosely bedded in the ground, he deemed this a significant safety risk to the public and in particular children.
“The cause is the sand and gravel nature of the ground, made worse recently by a huge rabbit population in the vicinity.
“By powers granted under Section 78 of the Buildings Act 1984, the Cemetery and Graveyard are now closed to public access until a solution can be found to remedy the unsafe structures.”
Inspectors found some of the gravestones posed a risk to life, according to the BBC.
The cemetery’s closure has left families unable to visit the graves of loved ones.
The cemetery was shut following a council inspection last month
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Vicky Johnson had gone to the graveyard to lay flowers for her mother and sister, who are buried there.
But when she got there, she discovered the entrance was fenced off.
“It was the 20th anniversary of their death. I came to put flowers down and have a little chat,” she told the BBC.
“When I got there, there was just this fence. I couldn’t get in.”
An urgent survey of the older gravestones in the churchyard carried out last week revealed a “significant and rapidly worsening safety risk,” the church said in a statement.
It said the churchyard is often used as a shortcut by children on their journeys to and from school, with some known to play hide and seek behind the gravestones.
“We understand that closing the churchyard causes great upset and heartbreak for families and friends,” the statement added.
“To allow loved ones to mourn, the church building itself will continue to be open as much as possible while the stakeholders work diligently to resolve this serious safety issue.”
A public meeting will be held at the church on Thursday evening to discuss the issue with members of the community.
A North Kesteven District Council spokesman 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.”
The Diocese of Lincoln said it is working with local council officials to “see a positive and sustainable solution as soon as it is feasible”.
“We understand how distressing it can be when an area of remembrance becomes inaccessible due to safety concerns”, it said.
“As the district council have noted, the priority must be people’s safety at this time.”
