A CHURCH is trying to contact the family of two women buried in its churchyard after their gravestone became unstable.

Every year the parochial church council at St Stephens Church in Cold Norton, carried out a survey on gravestones in the churchyard to check for stability.

They have identified a stone belonging to Winifred Manning and Susan Ann Jones which is unbalanced and has been laid flat to make it safe.

But church warden Margaret Taylor has drawn a blank trying to locate the family.

She found Manning families in Cold Norton were not related to Winifred.

A possible link to former chicken farmers in Purleigh also went cold as the family had moved on.

She said: “The stone has become unsafe and when they become unsafe we have to lay them down on top of the grave.

“We have had to put it down three times and twice it has been lifted up again."

Anyone with information about the relatives or is related to the two women should contact Margaret on 01621828883 or the Rev Manley on 01621 742947.