People living near a Colchester church are angry at moves to lay down headstones in the graveyard as a safety measure.

They have spoken to the vicar of All Saints' Church in Shrub End Road, the Rev Chris Newlands, to express their concerns after discovering that about 30 stones has been laid flat in the churchyard.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said a lot of people in the area were not happy about the situation and had told Mr Newlands they did not think it was right.

But Mr Newlands said they had made the decision after being advised by other cemeteries and councils about safety concerns following the deaths of five children in the past five years when gravestones fell on top of them.

He said: "Following the publicity surrounding a tragic accident when a young girl died as a result of an unsafe headstone falling on to her, we have been made aware of the safety issue in our churchyards, and in Shrub End, we have found many of the headstones to be unsafe.

"Those headstones which were most unstable have been laid flat to prevent tragic consequences," he said.

But he said families or next of kin had not been told about the move to lay the stones down because it had to be done quickly, causing residents to approach him to find out why it had been done.

European Union safety laws state that a headstone should be able to withstand about eight stone in weight.

By Lauren Spurgeon

Reporter's e-mail: lauren_spurgeon@thisisessex.co.uk

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