SEVERAL gravestones have been overturned in a bid to ensure better churchyard safety, says a local Reverend.

Approximately eight cross gravestones have been pushed over at St Giles’ Church in Bradford on Tone.

Parish Reverend, Suzy Kirkham said the felling of the stones was ‘due to health and safety reasons’.

She said: “Our graveyards are places of great importance to us all and ensuring their continued safety for all our visitors is vitally important, and they are regularly checked.

“The recent hot weather has affected the graveyard, just as it has all our gardens, so following National Church guidelines, our churchwarden recently checked the gravestones and any that were found to be unstable were laid down and clearly marked.”