A village vicar has resorted to legal action to ban mourners from leaving tributes such as teddy bears, balloons and plastic flowers in the churchyard.

The Rev Brian Senior, of St Peter’s Church in Bredhurst, has turned to a Church of England judge to resolve the issue once and for all.

Relatives of loved ones buried in the cemetery were told 18 months ago that they had three months to remove certain mementoes which contravene regulations.

Now Judge John Gallagher, Chancellor of the Diocese of Rochester, has upheld the Parochial Church Council legislation and slammed those who have flouted the rules.

Mr Gallagher has granted permission for staff to remove offending items.

He branded what had happened as “abuse” of a centuries-old burial ground and accused those who had flouted the rules of reprehensible behaviour.

He said those who had complied with the churchyard rules had objected to the “apparent lack of respect for the churchyard.”

But he said that objectors to the plans to remove items had sent him a bundle of letters, one of which complained: “The whole situation has arisen because a few bigoted people decided to enforce the rules and regulations of the churchyard to the nth degree.”

He added: “As a matter of logic and common sense, since there are regulations in force, it would be manifestly absurd to have them broken as each person deems fit.

“Quite apart from that, to permit such breaches would be wholly unfair to the majority who are content to abide by the regulations in force."

Mr Gallagher said if people wanted to erect a monument or deposit items they should apply for permission.

Mr Senior said: “The Chancellor has been wholly supportive of maintaining churchyard regulations. Mourners have been given time to remove items.”