Tadcaster Town Council publicly apologised today after officials laid down cemetery gravestones without telling relatives.

Several mourners were left shocked and upset after arriving at Tadcaster Cemetery to discover their loved ones' headstones had been laid flat.

No explanation was given and many residents believed it was the work of callous vandals.

The town council, which is responsible for maintaining the cemetery, today apologised for causing any distress.

A spokesman said a team of officers and councillors had laid down about 20 gravestones for "safety reasons" following an annual inspection of the site.

Six-year-old Reuben Powell was tragically killed last July when a five-foot headstone collapsed on top of him at Harrogate's Grove Road cemetery, as he played with friends.

Andrew Usher, of Dorchester Road, Tadcaster, was shocked to discover his great-grandparents' headstone had been laid flat by the council.

"I thought it was vandals at first - I even reported it to the police," he said. "I had just laid fresh flowers there the previous day.

"The council should've let us know what was happening - I can't believe it."

Furious Malcolm Dowson, of Sherburn-in-Elmet, arrived at the cemetery to discover several headstones had been laid flat next to his father's grave.

"I'm fuming - if they'd pushed my dad's headstone over I would have pushed them over!

"My 80-year-old mother would've had a heart attack if she had seen the headstone down.

"I appreciate there's a safety issue but to not even put a notice up is disgraceful."

Resident Dorothy Backhouse, whose husband is buried in the cemetery, added: "I'm outraged - the council should be ashamed of themselves."

Town councillor Steve Helsdon said: "On behalf of the town council I can only apologise for any distress that has been caused. An inspection of the cemetery earlier this year showed that some of the headstones were in a dangerous state.

"A three-strong team went round this week and gently laid them down to stop any kids who play there coming to harm. In hindsight maybe we should have put notices up telling people what was happening.

"That has been done now."

Updated: 10:51 Friday, August 24, 2001