Relatives of people buried in a cemetery where graves have started to sink have asked for an explanation - and an end to the distressing phenomenon.

In what sounds like the start of a horror movie, graves and grave stones at Lavender Hill cemetery in Cedar Road, Enfield, have been sinking by up to half a foot, causing distress to family members of those who are buried there.

First noticed three weeks ago, the subsidence has apparently been caused by flooding at the cemetery, but construction manager Charles Henry, whose sister-in-law is buried there, has questioned this explanation.

Mr Henry, 43, of Palmers Green, said: “Despite being informed that this has been caused from a problem with a water-table, which is where low lying ground is saturated with water, I do not believe it for one moment. The cemetery is on the top of the hill and water-tables are only seen at lower levels.

“As a construction manager I am baffled as to why this has happened and it has caused a lot of distress to many families. Our sister-in-law is buried very close to the area where graves started sinking and we are very concerned that the same thing will happen there."

Mr Henry said workers had been to the site and filled graves with more soil, however, this has not rectified the issue.

A Enfield Borough Council spokesperson said: “Enfield Council acted promptly to deal with the unexpected flooding of graves in Lavender Hill Cemetery which has affected a number of burial plots, and reassure relatives of the people buried there that we are doing everything we possibly can to rectify this unfortunate situation.

“We have excavated part of the site, away from the burial plots, to reduce the underground water pressure. This has solved the immediate problem and we are now looking for a longer-term solution, perhaps through the installation of a drainage system to deal with it permanently.

“We would like to apologise to anyone who has been affected by the flooding and will continue to do everything we can to ensure there is not a repeat of this issue in the coming months.”