Headstones have been strapped to wooden stakes in Chatteris cemetery

Kevin Talll went to New Road Cemetery in Chatteris to find the headstone for his baby son Adam, along with others in the grave yard had been strapped to a stake PHOTO Kevin Tall (Image: Archant)

Adam Tall died at just three days old in 1992 and his grave has been lovingly tended for the last 25 years by his parents and grandparents.

Kevin Tall told how notes were put on headstones in New Road cemetery three few weeks ago asking people to straighten them up.

So his father in law went down to sort it out.

Kevin, of Chatteris Road, Somersham, said: “He took a spirit level and everything, it got squared up.

“The headstone is only 19 inches high so it was hardly a health and safety hazard anyway.

“Then we went and found this.

“There’s lot of headstones that have had these stakes and rubber straps put round them pulling them back, It’s disgusting.”

“A lot of the older ones are learning quite badly but these newer ones are not even that bad.

“We’ve heard everyone is going to get charged £150 each for this.”

A Fenland District Council spokesman said: “Our Street Scene team recently carried out safety inspections at the New Road cemetery as part of the 5,000 memorial inspections it carries out every year to ensure the district’s cemeteries are safe places to visit.

“Where memorials are at risk of falling over, we place a notice on them to inform the owner of their duty to arrange for repairs to be carried out by a registered stonemason. In some cases, unstable memorials will be supported where possible, or may need to be laid down.

“As soon as we are notified that repairs have been carried out we can visit again to verify the headstone is stable and secure.

“On this occasion it appears our notice may have been misunderstood and we welcome this feedback to ensure they are clearer in future.”