Work to start on stabilising unsafe headstones in East Lothian cemetery

East Lothian Council has begun essential safety work in Prestonpans Cemetery.

The local authority is continuing its programme of stabilising all unsafe headstones in cemeteries across the area.

Work has now begun in Prestonpans Cemetery and unstable headstones will be lifted and re-positioned onto the ground.

Local council start work on stabilising unsafe headstones in East Lothian cemetery.

The council manages 35 churchyards and cemeteries across East Lothian, which contain roughly 28,000 memorial headstones, some of which date back hundreds of years.

In many cases, there are no surviving relatives to maintain the upkeep of the headstones, leading to the council’s decision in 2015 to make approximately 8,000 headstones safe.

A statement on the council website said: “The top sections of loose memorials are lifted using a mechanical hoist and the headstone is then buried down about a third in the ground.

"This approach means any danger to the public and damage to the stone is avoided, the inscription can still be read and people can safely visit and tend to graves.”

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