I am writing to inform local people of a disturbing discovery my partner and I made at Chislehurst cemetary.

We were visiting his parents' grave and found to our horror that many of the headstones were laying on their backs.

There were notices taped to them stating that Bromley Council had inspected them for sturdiness and those that needed to be more firmly fixed had been moved into a safer postion.

We have no problem with this, however, many of these headstones had been snapped off, broken or had the steel rods cut in order to force them down.

The notices also make it clear that the cost of replacing the stones (which were in good condition when we visted at Christmas) had to met by the loved ones of those laid to rest.

If an individual had caused such damage to the headstones it would be called vandalisim.

I feel most for the relatives of one person whose grave was newly occupied who had their stone defaced in such a manner.

The upkeep and cost of replacement to these stones is very expencive. We are shocked and upset that Bromley would take such action (only on modern well-kept stones I hasten to add - not the old neglected ones).

We were lucky that the grave we vistited was untouched. This should not be allowed.

Anita Edmunds and Mark Wright, Ampleforth Close, Orpington