MORE grave headstones are to be laid flat in a Gwent cemetery, as council heads say urgent safety checks must be carried out on them.

Caldicot residents whose loved ones are buried in a local cemetery are being urged to be understanding while the works are carried out.

A programme of checks will begin on memorials in Caldicot Cemetery, Dewstow Road, from the end of September. But the town council, which runs the cemetery, is eager to avoid the controversy seen elsewhere in Monmouthshire where the county council caused uproar after headstones were laid flat without notifying residents.

Monmouthshire councillors faced fierce criticism after 472 headstones in council-managed cemeteries in Llanfoist, Gilwern and Usk were laid flat.

The council admitted it made mistakes by not notifying families, but then further enraged some by offering £50 to those that had to re-erect memorials.

One father, Steve Parry from Daycoed, Clydach, who had to re-erect five headstones of family members, called the offer "disgusting".

Mr Parry said he faced a bill of about £1,000 and would get £250 from the council.

Caldicot councillor John Thomas said the town council was working hard to ensure everybody concerned is aware of the checks.

He said: "We are doing all it can to inform local people, including putting notices in the cemetery and key spots throughout the town.

"This is a delicate issue but we wish to minimise the amount of distress it will cause. The cemetery opened in 1961, so anybody buried there is likely to have relatives still living in Caldicot.

"Anybody with queries can call the town clerk on 01291 420441 for clarification."

Memorial Service Ltd will do the checks on the recommendation of the Health and Safety Executive who want all memorials and burial grounds across the country to be inspected after several accidents countrywide.

Every headstone and memorial in the cemetery will be tested with a hand held device called a Topple Tester'.

This will apply a steadily increasing pressure to the memorial to see if it can withstand a 35kg force.

Simon Morgan, of Memorial Services Ltd, said: "It's a gentle and respectful way of testing the memorial and it doesn't require the cemetery to be cordoned off or vehicles to be on site."

However, the memorials are not the responsibility of the council or Memorial Service, so must be restored by the owner or next of kin. The town council stresses no headstone will be removed from the cemetery.