TOMBSTONES in the picturesque churchyard surrounding Bromsgrove's Grade I listed St John's parish church may have to be permanently laid down to meet health and safety requirements.

District council staff will carry out safety checks on the gravestones, some of which date back to the 1600s, during the next few weeks.

Those found unsafe will be laid flat.

The examination follows similar checks made in Bromsgrove cemetery before Christmas when 300 gravestones were laid down. This sparked an outcry from relatives.

The news came as a big shock to St John's authorities.

Jenny Ashmore, chairman of the church's fabric committee, immediately contacted the diocesan office in Worcester for advice.

It appears there are many formalities to go through before the stones can be touched. She said she will write to council chief Bob Lewis to arrange an urgent meeting before the work starts.

Vince Harrison, for the district council, said: "We are legally bound by heath and safety regulations to make sure all gravestones are safe in order to protect our staff working in the cemeteries and people who visit them.

"It is probable that a number of gravestones in St John's churchyard will have to be laid down and as most of the burials took place many years ago, there are likely to be great difficulties in tracing the grave owners who would be responsible for repairs.

"If the owners cannot be traced the gravestones may have to remain laid down."