13/07/2026
β οΈ Memorial Safety Testing πͺ¦
Honouring loved ones βͺ
We know how important it is to have a safe, peaceful place to remember loved ones.
Over the coming weeks, trained staff will be carrying out routine safety inspections of gravestones in Newcastle's cemeteries. This work is carried out in line with national guidance and helps identify memorials that may have become unstable over time, protecting everyone who visits our cemeteries.
If a memorial is found to need attention, it will be carefully supported with temporary wooden stakes and bands, and a notice will be placed asking the registered owner to contact our Bereavement Services team. We understand this can be upsetting to see, but these measures are taken with the utmost care and respect while any necessary repairs are arranged.
We do not take the impact of this work for granted. We have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of our cemeteries and the national rules were introduced following the tragic deaths of children elsewhere in the UK where gravestones had fallen on to them.
Some memorials are more than 100 years old, and over time it can become difficult to trace the registered owner or next of kin. If you have a loved one buried in one of Newcastle's cemeteries, please help us by making sure your contact details are up to date. This means we can get in touch quickly if we ever need to discuss the memorial.
If your contact details have changed, please contact Bereavement Services on 0191 211 6941 or email [email protected].
Thank you for helping us keep our cemeteries safe while treating every memorial with the dignity and respect it deserves.
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