Plot holders to foot gravestone repair bills

Dozens of plot holders will need to fork out for repairs to gravestones after a survey found some to be in danger of toppling over.

Contractors tested memorials around several High Peak cemeteries and churchyards, including in Glossop, Buxton and Tintwistle. 

“We are responsible to ensure the safety of all visitors to the cemeteries under our control,” said a spokesperson from Orbitas Bereavement Services (OBS). 

“Following fatalities and injuries in other parts of the country caused by falling memorials, we are following advice by the Health and Safety Executive the Ministry of Justice and the Diocesan Advisory Committee.” 

OBS say the upkeep of gravestones and costs of any remedial work is the responsibility of plot holders, with the company imposing a deadline of Friday February 28 for owners to contact them. 

Warning signs of memorials being unstable include: 

Leaning three degrees or more from vertical 
Cracks in headstone or base/loose joints  
Movement if rocked 
Ground settlement 
Waterlogged ground 
Missing structural parts 

“If we do not hear from the owners by 28/02/2025 then it will be assumed that you do not wish to carry out the work and OBS Ltd will then arrange for the necessary works to make the memorial safe.  

“This work will be conducted at a cost however we will seek to recoup that cost from the owner.” 

Eight people were killed by falling headstones in the UK between 1979-2009, with the last recorded case being that of eight-year-old boy being crushed in Glasgow a decade ago. 

There is no indication of how much stabilising each memorial will cost.