A 51 year old man from Maidstone has died after being found injured at a church.

Police have launched an appeal for help to find out what happened to the man, who was found at about 7.30pm on Friday at St Peter and Paul's Church, in Aylesford, with head injuries.

He was taken to Maidstone hospital and then transferred to London but he died from his injuries on Saturday.

Church warden Richard Bourne said he and other parishioners had not known about the incident until Sunday, when they came out of church after a service and saw police in the car park.

He said he heard there had been "an accident" and that someone had fallen over a wall.

"In the evening we saw people in white suits taking photos along the top of the walk," he added. "There's a bit of a drop there."

Mr Bourne said he planned to inform Rev Chris van Straaten of the incident when the vicar returns from holiday on Friday.

"We will say prayers," he added. "It's terrible."

The man’s next of kin have been told and the coroner has been notified.

Police want to hear from anyone who was in the vicinity of St Peter and Paul's Church on Friday evening.

DCI Jon Bumpus said: "At the moment we are treating the man’s death as unexplained. The appeal for information is to establish if anyone else was in the area of the churchyard between 6.30pm to 8.00pm, and in particular, speak to anyone who may be able to help officers and the man’s family understand how he came by his injuries."

Police can be contacted on 01732 379217 or Kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Callers to Crimestoppers do not have to leave their name.

Information can also be emailed to appeals.westkent@kent.pnn.police.uk

No further information about the man is being released at this time. A post mortem examination is expected to take place later this week.