Safety work completed after boy's cemetery death

The first stage of safety work at four cemeteries has been carried out following the death of a four-year-old boy who was killed by a falling gravestone.

Eli Testa suffered fatal injuries at Rawtenstall Cemetery in July.

Rossendale Council said it was deeply saddened by the tragedy.

It said: "This work represents an important step in ensuring safer and more-welcoming cemeteries for everyone visiting loved ones."

Across Rossendale, the borough council manages four different cemeteries in Rawtenstall, Bacup, Whitworth and Haslingden.

The sites were all opened in the late 1800s or early 1900s and remain in use.

A council spokesperson said: "The initial stage of work has involved inspecting memorials and making them temporarily safe for visitors.

"Now, we have commenced the next phase of work, which focuses on making memorials permanently safe.

"This may include setting stones upright, laying them flat or levelling the surrounding ground to improve accessibility, while keeping inscriptions visible wherever possible."

If a memorial needs attention, relatives should use an approved stonemason and not try to repair it themselves, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Permits will be provided free of charge for repairs identified during the safety inspection process, the council said.

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