Health and safety says gravestones have to go

London councils were accused of "municipal vandalism" today after it emerged they are spending millions to uproot gravestones which are seen as a threat to public health and safety.

The Tories hit out as new figures showed that 10,000 headstones have been knocked over or removed by town hall staff worried that they may fall onto grave-diggers or passers-by.

The figures show that thousands of council workers are being employed to carry out the inspections.

Hammersmith and Fulham's Conservative MP Greg Hands compiled the figures using new Freedom of Information rules and the results point to a London-wide problem stemming from Health and Safety Executive guidance.

The advice has been criticised by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, which warns that it is costing millions in public money while causing distress to family members who find that graves have been deliberately toppled by councils "to make them safe".

Graves are expected to be subjected to "risk assessment" every five years and councils fear enforcement action and fines if they fail to comply with the rules.

Shadow communities secretary Eric Pickles said: "How we respect and remember the deceased is a wider expression of the state of our society.

"It is clear that over-zealous application of health and safety rules and a culture of litigation are distorting the work of public authorities - from banning community events to desecrating graveyards.

"The Government needs to act now to stop the flawed diktats handed out by Britain's health and safety jobsworths."

In London, some 350,000 headstones have already been inspected. Nationwide, the Tories calculate that £ 15million has been wasted and 75,000 headstones pulled down.

Wandsworth council has "made safe" nearly 4,000 graves, while Croydon has "removed" 400.

Mr Hands told the Evening Standard: "Ill-thought-out health and safety rules are leading to the municipal vandalism of our graveyards.

"While town halls have a role in promoting public safety, any action needs to be proportionate to the risk. People are 4,000 times more likely to be injured by a bendy-bus than by a headstone in a graveyard, yet millions of pounds of taxpayers' money are being blown on the easy target of ripping down headstones."