More than 100 graves at a memorial garden have been branded 'unsafe'.

Health and safety tests have been carried out on headstones at Hawkinge Crematorium, in the Folkestone district, by owner Dignity.

The company says that since 2014, the Health and Safety Executive requires all crematorium and cemetery operators to conduct memorial safety inspections every five years.

This was introduced after a number of incidents occurred in cemeteries or crematoria grounds across the country, some of which have been fatal.

The operator says it put posters up around the crematorium, off Aerodrome Road, six weeks prior to testing to explain to visitors what they were going to do.

Yellow stickers were then placed on the headstones deemed unstable, reading 'Warning unsafe memorial do not touch'.

In addition to adding the notices, Dignity says all grave owners will receive or have been sent a letter detailing the concerns about the safety of their headstone.

A spokesman for the company said: "All headstones are owned by and are the responsibility of the grave owner (the family) or their next of kin.

"However, we have a legal obligation to make a headstone safe if it is found to be in an unsafe condition. This may be of a temporary nature whilst attempts are made to make contact with the owner.

"We will always endeavour to contact the last known grave owner using the information provided by them.

"We will also post a notice on the grave to inform any relatives or visitors in this respect.

"Unfortunately it will be inevitable that we will try to make contact by letter with grave owner(s) who may have since passed away themselves or moved address without our knowledge."

"It was a shock to me when I saw it. I was heartbroken..." - Stephanie Underdown

But the move has caused some upset.

Stephanie Underdown says a yellow notice was placed on her mum's grave and seeing it made her feel "heartbroken".

She said: "It was a shock to me when I saw it.

"I was heartbroken. And my brother is very upset."

She shared pictures of the notice to social media, with the post: "If anybody has loved ones and relatives in Hawkinge Crematorium Gardens I urge you to go and have a look, as we found 128 graves with this warning sign on.

"We regularly visit my mum's grave three times a week and have never noticed any problem with the grave before.

"My brother spoke to the ladies in the office and they said they could give him a list of people to repair it. I expect with a high price list.

"This is so upsetting."

Dignity, which operates many other crematoriums across the country, said they do not benefit financially from the process.

Directer Steve Gant said: "We are in the process of carrying out routine safety checks on the headstones at Hawkinge Crematorium.

"Ensuring the grounds are a safe place for visitors is an essential part of our role and a legal obligation requires us to carry out headstone inspections every five years.

"Where we identify a safety risk with a headstone, we advise the owners of the grave to contact their local stonemason.

"As the owners of the crematorium, we do not benefit financially from this process.

"We recognise the importance of communicating with visitors to the grounds about any work being carried out.

"To ensure visitors were aware that the inspections would be taking place we put up signs around the crematorium grounds, explaining what we would be doing and why, six weeks before the inspections began."

Safety checks are also being carried out in cemeteries run by Folkestone and Hythe District Council.

Cllr John Collier, cabinet member for property management and grounds maintenance, said: “Memorial stability checks are a legal requirement, and carried out to ensure the safety of visitors to cemeteries and churchyards.

“A programme of testing at the council’s cemeteries and churchyards across the district is already underway. This is carried out in a sympathetic and careful manner due to the obvious sensitive nature of the work.

“The frequency of testing will be decided by risk assessments on each headstone, and grave owners will be contacted where necessary.”

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