Hundreds of headstones at Sutton Cemetery have been branded unsafe by council workers, to the distress of relatives who found yellow health and safety notes slapped on memorials to their loved ones.

Sutton Council must test the stability of gravestones and if they are in danger of toppling they must be shored up or replaced. If the cost is not covered by insurance or guarantee then relatives must pay.

Many of the newer graves in the cemetery were marked with yellow signs saying they were unsafe and wooden posts to support leaning headstones were driven into the ground next to the grave.

Angry relatives visiting the cemetery on Monday complained that most of the marked stones were safe and that many were barely leaning at all.

Thomas Riddle, whose wife Jean is buried in the cemetery, said: "It's an absolute disgrace - someone is making a lot of money from this.

"I only had the headstone re-done last year. There's nothing wrong with it. Some that are leaning more than this one don't have a ticket on them."

Mr Riddle, 75, was sent a letter that morning explaining what the council had done. However, many relatives arrived at the cemetery to find their loved-ones' graves marked with posts and yellow council notices.

One man said the council should pay for the work if it thought it was so important.

He said: "It's very distressing. It could cost me thousands and it's going to hit pensioners hard. It's health and safety gone mad."

A spokesman for the council said: "The national Health and Safety Executive has asked all local councils to carry out the survey following a number of deaths and injuries in cemeteries caused by falling headstones.

"If an unstable memorial is found, the council will call a memorial mason to see if the work can be carried out quickly under a guarantee to avoid any stress to the bereaved family.

"If this not possible, the stone will be supported temporarily with a warning notice placed on it, and a letter sent to the grave owner informing them of the action Sutton is taking."