Scores of headstones felled for health and safety reasons

By Nigel Bunyan Published: 7:30AM GMT twenty-four February 2010

The Rev Peter Lee, rector of St James Church in Christleton, nearby Chester, systematic each headstone - a little of that date behind to the 18th century to be tested to safeguard they complied with health and reserve rules.

Any deemed one to be unsafe, were laid on the belligerent and placed a notice that read: "In the interests of open reserve this commemorative has been found to be unstable".

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Parish councillors were dumbfounded when 181 were taken down.

A summary pinned on the church notice house reads: "Many people will justifiably consternation because the headstones are regarded as unsafe. We had no approach of expecting what the outcome would be and were additionally astounded by the result."

Bereaved kin are melancholy to sue at what they report as the "desecration", claiming the churchyard right away resembles the stage of a "neo-Nazi outrage".

A series of them have shaped an movement organisation and are scheming to take the rector to county justice in sequence to retrieve income they are carrying to outlay on "safety" measures.

Heather Jones, 62, a late clergyman who set up the group, said: "What the prejudiced church legislature has finished is utterly unacceptable.

"My mother, Madeleine, who was 67 when she died, does not merit what they have finished by interfering with the headstone at her and my father Johns grave, "This is a offence of my kin mental recall and it is disrespectful. I am wakeful of a series of alternative family groups in the village

who have been caused good trouble by the churchs action."

The PCC took movement after being stirred to lift out reserve checks by diocesan officials.

Mrs Jones, who was innate in Christleton but right away lives in Kensal Rise, north London, said: "We have right away turn a republic of overly suspicious testers.

My mothers grave was checked by one of her old friends dual months prior to the investigation and she pronounced it was ideally secure.

"This is health and reserve left bananas - it is 1984 come loyal in a behind doorway sort of way."

She added: "We are perplexing to get the incident resolved by articulate to the church. But if we get no compensation we will take the PCC to the small claims court.

"Its not a subject of income - we are you do it for the principle, to try to retreat an vast incident opposite the country."

Mr Lee said: "It is unfortunate that so most people have been influenced by the stonemasons assessment. We do bewail any harm that has been caused."

Keith Smalls, a church warden, said: "The checks have turn required after a immature child was killed elsewhere in the nation by a descending head stone."

He combined that kin sealed a request at the time of funeral to contend that if a mill was found to be vulnerable it could be laid flat.