CHURCHWARDENS in a Cleveland village are making an appeal for relatives of a family buried in the local graveyard.

Four members of the Johnson family lie in the cemetery of St Peter's Church, Hilton. But church workers have been unable to contact relatives.

The gravestone needs repairing and churchwardens want to give family members a chance to put the memorial to rights. It is lying flat for safety reasons.

When they took a closer look, churchwardens Mrs Barbara Sowerby and Mrs Mavis Booth were moved by the inscription. Words mark tributes to a soldier who died in the First World War, his sister who died six years later and their parents who died in 1939 and 1954.

Mrs Sowerby said: "It is quite a moving memorial and we thought it would be interesting to trace the relatives."

She said steel rods which support the headstone had come loose and made the memorial unstable. "We have had to take the headstone down and lay it flat on the ground for insurance purposes," she said.

"But no-one seems to know the family. If they were local, they must have moved out of the village. We thought if we could trace relatives they might like the chance to get a stonemason to put the gravestone right and make it safe again."

The situation came to light when Mrs Booth went to test all the headstones in the graveyard. "They are all in the same grave which suggests they must have been local at some point, but where they went to we don't know," said Mrs Sowerby.

Anyone who can shed light on the mystery should contact Mrs Sowerby on 01642 591532.

l The inscription reads:

In memory of Pte Henry Johnson. Son of James and Jane Adelaide Johnson who was killed in France 17th September 1916. Aged 24 years.

Also of Alice Ann. The beloved daughter of the above who died 10th August 1922. Aged 21 years.

Also Jane Adelaide beloved wife of James Johnson of Hilton who died 22nd August 1939. Aged 81 years.

Also the above James Johnson who died 1st July 1954 Aged 95 years.