Gnomes and balloons to be removed from churchyard

 Gnomes, balloons and solar lamps left around graves must be removed from an ancient churchyard, a judge has ruled, saying it shows a “lack of respect” for the grounds.

Villagers at Bredhurst, Kent, added touches of their own to brighten up the churchyard at their 12thcentury, grade II listed St Peter’s church.

However, church authorities and some other residents were far from happy to see items such as “garden gnomes, figurine angels, cupids, balloons and solar lamps” appearing.

A judge has now stepped in and given permission for the church authorities to remove them. John Gallagher, a judge of the Church of England’s consistory court, also criticised the offending villagers for ignoring church rules and introducing such items.

He described it as “abuse” of a centuries-old burial ground and accused those responsible of flouting the law and reprehensible behaviour.

The judge’s decision also revealed that the row over the churchyard has caused a rift among villagers. He said that those who had complied with the church yard rules had objected to the “apparent lack of respect for the churchyard.”