Upset resident Fred Mace contacted The Examiner on Sunday, after the church advertised plans to make the graves safer by taking down fences with pointed arrows or metal spikes.

Several more residents came forward yesterday to voice their concerns.

Pastor Keith Treasure said the church had a duty of care to people who walk through the grounds.

"It's nobody's concern - it's private property," he said.

"As far as we're concerned, we're doing what we can to be right and legal, and keep it safe."

Late last year, a maintenance worker was seriously injured after impaling his leg on a spike.

Prospect resident Aajay Cook, 75, said he couldn't understand why the fences - which have been there since the 1800s - were now considered dangerous.

"What was that person doing anyway - why would you want to climb into the grave?"

Susanne Grant, of Ravenswood, said she didn't believe the church could be held responsible for the worker's injury.

"Why desecrate graves because someone didn't practice proper occupational health and safety?"

The works are due to be carried out on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the church has rejected the claims of several residents that graves were damaged when the road into the cemetery was resealed earlier this year.

Mr Cook said that one of the graves was now being driven over.

"They pulled the headstone up and put it over beside another grave and the road went over the top."

However, Mr Treasure said the grave had been covered by the road for years, and the church had moved the headstone and glued it back together to help preserve it.