A MONUMENTAL memorial restoration programme is to be carried out at a borough cemetery.

Bury Council intends to restore the structural integrity of the headstones in Radcliffe Cemetery following the recent death of a child who was crushed by one in Yorkshire.

The move comes less than a week after the council was accused of professional vandalism at the cemetery by a Radcliffe funeral director.

This was after health and safety officers inspected headstones in the cemetery and pinpointed those requiring attention. Staff made a note of the ones needing work by daubing them with green paint, an action which disgusted funeral director Mr Peter Sillett, who described it as "insensitive and unnecessary".

However, the controversial chapter is now likely to be closed with the announcement of work in Radcliffe similar to that already ongoing in Bury Cemetery and Ramsbottom Cemetery. A three-year improvement programme has been underway at these cemeteries for the past 12 months, costing around £90,000. Director of competitive services Mr Philip Allen explained: "The condition of many of the headstones within the cemeteries has deteriorated over the years and we are now finding ourselves in a serious situation. Bury Council is, as far as we know, one of the first local authorities to attempt to address and rectify the problem."

Various emergency works have been undertaken in Radcliffe Cemetery and it is proposed that further works will commence on September 18.

Mr Allen said: "It may become necessary to remove some side stones from the plots within the cemetery to allow machine access to the affected stones. Great care will be taken to minimise inconvenience to the cemetery."

If anyone has any queries or concerns regarding these works they should call the cemetery clerk on 0161 253 6510.