All trees at Swaffham cemetery will be given a health and safety check after eight memorials were damaged by a tree that fell in high winds last month.

The tree, which was in a garden next to the cemetery, toppled over in the early hours of Sunday April 29.

The town council heard last night that the damage caused to the gravestones was an 'act of God' as far as the insurers were concerned.

The bulk of the tree will be removed at no cost to the council because it is classed as a health and safety hazard, but the families of those buried there will have to claim insurance to repair gravestones because they own exclusive rights to the memorials.

The town council is currently trying to contact them.

It is not yet known if the council will be able to claim for repairs to fencing from its insurance policy.