DEPUTY mayor Cllr Ginny Boxall was left “fuming” after discovering some gravestones in Alton Cemetery had been laid down for health and safety reasons.

She said: “The once pretty cemetery is now very sad looking and appears trashed.”

An East Hampshire District Council spokesperson said: “We make regular inspections of our cemeteries to make sure all the gravestones are safe. If any are loose or likely to topple we remove them and lay them flat on the grave. Where there is still a family deed owner, we will contact them and ask them to see to any repairs.”