Council officials are often amazingly insensitive about the feelings of people who visit cemeteries to look at the graves of loved ones.

The latest example has come from Lewes District Council, which runs the cemetery at Seaford.

Pensioner Cecil Barker arrived to find the marble headstone in memory of his wife had been laid flat without warning.

Many councils are worried loose headstones can collapse and injure people because they are so heavy.

But few headstones are unstable and, in such cases the council should make the effort to contact surviving relatives and discuss the problem with them.

It means a great deal to people such as Mr Barker to visit cemeteries and tend the graves of family members.

Laying headstones flat is usually considered an insult by the relatives of those who have died.

People have to pay for the privilege of having their friends and families buried in cemeteries.

The least they can expect in return is for the council to pay them some respect.