There is little that can be done to stop subsidence at a Perthshire cemetery, the council has said.
Burials at Methven Cemetery have begun to sink, with poor drainage being blamed. The subsidence has been the cause of concern and upset to those who have loved ones buried at the site.
Perth and Kinross Council has pledged to address issues with any lairs that require re-levelling, but said the topography of the site made it difficult to alleviate the underlying problems.
A spokesman described the subsidence as ”a natural process” that could be caused by a number of factors, including underground water and bad weather.
Some family members have been left dissatisfied, however, and the council has fielded angry phonecalls from some.
Tricia Bremner from Perth contacted The Courier to share her concerns. She visits family who have been laid to rest in the cemetery and said its condition has been the cause of considerable upset.
Mrs Bremner said: ”These problems threaten the health and safety of those visiting Methven Cemetery and are of great concern to anyone who does visit.
”You feel a little cheated when you find the graves in this condition as people pay good money to have their loved ones buried.”
She added: ”I contacted Perth and Kinross Council to see what could be done but got little in the way of a response, though they did highlight a problem with drainage.
”If this is the position then why do they continue to bury people at this cemetery. Surely the problem will only get worse?”
A council spokesman said: ”The subsidence of lairs is a natural process that happens in most burial grounds and is caused by a wide variety of factors including soil type, water table levels, the age of lairs and wet or frosty weather.
”Methven Cemetery is a sloping cemetery at the bottom of a rising field and as a result it is subject to a lot of subterranean water flow. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do to alter its topography or underground drainage.”
He added: ”However, the council will check for any lairs that require re-levelling and will carry out the work as soon as we can. Re-levelling is a common maintenance activity in such cases.”