COST-cutting stone masons who build cheap memorials in cemeteries are putting lives at risk, according to an award-winning Bushey company, P Brant and Sons.

Boss Philip Brant says visitors to cemeteries could be injured or killed by badly made tombstones falling over.

His warning comes at a time when the National Association of Memorial Masons, of which the company is a member, celebrates its 90th anniversary.

One of the aims of the association has been to enforce a code of practice among memorial masons to encourage higher standards across the industry.

However, one disadvantage is it can only enforce this standard with its members, which are made up of 20 per cent of the companies in the industry.

Mr Brant, 32, who took over the running of P Brant and Sons three years ago, stressed how important it was for the industry to work to higher standards and for companies to stop cutting corners to reduce overheads.

He said: "Trends in previous years have seen people demanding the cheaper priced memorials but this trend is changing again as people are prepared to spend more money.

"The trouble with cheaper memorials is some memorial masons will cut corners to enable them to sell them at a lower price. As a result these can be death traps. If the head stone is not fixed properly with steel rods the whole thing can topple over just by brushing past them. This has happened to me a few times.

"Also cemeteries have to be inspiring places where life can be commemorated in a beautiful environment.

"If the memorials are made out of cheaper materials they can make a cemetery appear dull."

At a reception held at the House of Commons to mark the occasion, Minister of Arts, Mark Fisher said: "We need to redress the balance and re-establish burial grounds as area of beauty, tranquility and a source for local history.

"We must encourage greater creativity in cemeteries and educate our young to enjoy and make the most of our burial grounds."

P Brant and Sons is at Park Road, Bushey.

It has won three awards for stone lettering and two awards for masonry in the Natural Stone Show, held at Wembley Conference and Exhibition Centre.The company is planning to enter more of its work at the show in March.

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