Hundreds of headstones were found to be unsafe

People in Ammanford were furious when they discovered headstones at the town's cemetery had been taken down following a safety survey last month.

Work was suspended after 372 had been laid flat on the ground a further 40 cordoned off.

Carmarthenshire Council has apologised to the families affected for not informing them about the work.

The reinstatement works will be carried out sensitively and in consultation with those concerned Richard Workman, Carmarthenshire Council

It says it was necessary as the stones were unsafe.

Now the authority says it will pay to have all the stones restored.

Andrea Griffiths was one of those angered when workmen laid flat three of her relatives' headstones.

'Devastated'

She said if the council had informed her family of the problem then they would have had their own undertaker do the work and would have paid for it themselves.

"We're devastated - we weren't informed at all, a neighbour phone us to tell us," she said.

The council's director of technical services, Richard Workman, said the authority would make sure in future relatives were consulted before work took place.

And he said they would be given the chance to be presented when safety tests were carried out.

"We are aware of the concerns, I have personally spoken with many of the relatives.

"The action taken by the council was on a safety first basis.

"The reinstatement works will be carried out sensitively and in consultation with those concerned."