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Published:
February 22, 2008
Burnham-On-Sea
gravestones cordoned off after safety checks
Several
gravestones in Burnham-On-Sea have been cordoned off following
a health and safety check of the town's churchyards.
 Five
headstones in Burnham have been deemed to be in such an unsafe
condition that they have been taped off by Sedgemoor District
Council to prevent visitors potentially putting themselves in
danger.
Several
of the headstones are in Burnham's St Andrew's Church on the town's
Esplanade, as pictured here.
Council
spokeswoman Claire Faun explained: "The Council has taken
temporary safety measures with unsafe headstones and will contact
family members where possible so it can be decided how to make
them safe in the long term."
St
Andrew's church vicar, Reverend Graham Witts, said it is sad that
several headstones have been singled out, but he welcomed the
work.
"Unfortunately,
the ravages of time, salt and wind do have an adverse effect on
stones like these, but we're pleased the work is done to keep
the churchyard safe," he told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
The
council is undertaking a year-long programme of memorial testing
and repairs across the district in those closed churchyards and
cemeteries which it controls. The
work aims to ensure the safety of those visiting and working in
the graveyards.
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