RELATIVES of those buried at St Peter’s Church in Over Wallop are outraged after headstones which were deemed “unsafe” were laid down without alerting the families first.

Several people, including Councillor Tony Hope, Test Valley Borough representative for the village, met at the church to express their anger at the situation.

Those affected claim they were not informed before the stones were laid down and believe more should have been done to contact the families before such action was taken.

Claire Cook was one of the first to discover what had happened when she visited her grand-parents’ grave last week.Notices had been left on the gravestones affected telling visitors why they had been laid down but she said: “I think what’s happened is very disrespectful and rather rude.

“If they had contacted us in the first place and we had not listened that is fair enough but the fact that they have just toppled them over and left them there is an outrage.”

Councillor Tony Hope was also upset at the way the situation was handled.

He said: “We have a village shop that would have put a notice up and various notice boards around the parish.

All of those options could have been used to contact the families.

“I believe that they have acted rashly and inconsiderately.”

Cllr Hope was particularly disappointed at the moving of stones in the older parts of the graveyard, saying: “These stones have stood here for so long, some for over 150 years.

“It’s been desecrated in my opinion.”

A letter dated 16 September was sent out by the vicar the Rev Vanessa Cole and the churchwardens explaining why the action was taken and that it had been agreed at a recent Parochial Church Council meeting.

The letter went on to explain that no excess force was used in laying down the stones or any pressure measuring machinery. ‘Stones that have been laid flat have been done so as reverently as possible’ it said.

The letter ended: ‘We are sorry for any distress we may have caused you and your family, and have only acted where we have felt it necessary to do so’.

The Parochial Church Council met on Monday night to discuss the families’ concerns. A representive chosen by the families was present and those affected were able to state their concerns and ask questions and an ‘amicable agreement’ has been reached to rectify the situation.

Yesterday it was confirmed that a stonemason has already started repairing the gravestones.

A spokesman for the Parochial Church Council said: “We are pleased to announce that a number of gravestones are in the process of being restored in order to make them safe.

“These gravestones had been temporarily laid down after they had become unstable and dangerous, making the churchyard unsafe for those who use it.

“The Parochial Church Council has made funds available to pay for this in full and is working with local relatives and families to ensure that these gravestones are properly and sensitively secured.

“It is our prayer that the churchyard will once more be a safe and sacred place in which families can remember their loved ones.”