Visitors to Borden parish church may be forgiven for thinking it has become a major crime scene.

The pews have been cordoned-off with ominous-looking black and yellow plastic tape. And the comfy 'kneelers' for prayer have been hidden under the altar.

It is all part of a massive clean-up by the vicar, the Rev Robert Lane who tackled the aisles of the village church of St Peter and St Paul in his shorts at the weekend to prepare for its reopening on Monday.

Father Robert has been 'broadcasting' Sunday services from his dining room during the coronavirus lockdown.

He said: "I know it looks a little like a crime scene but the only crimes have been against fashion - me wearing shorts with black socks and shoes - and that the church has been closed and people excluded for so long.

"Social distancing is now in place and the church has been cleaned and polished."

Hand sanitiser is at the entrance and signs have been installed reminding worshippers to keep two metres apart.

The church is now open every day from 10am to 4pm except on Sundays and Thursdays when it will open at 10.30am after a live-streamed service.

He added: "The doors will be pinned open and certain pews may be blocked to allow people to remain the requisite distance apart.

"The church will be cleaned and wiped every evening in readiness for the following morning."

He said: "We had a number of people come to visit on Monday to be in the presence of God. It was lovely to have the church open again after 11 weeks.

"It is a shame we have had to blank off every other pew but it is the only way we can maintain social distancing."

He was helped in the clean-up by his partner Chris Andrews.

Services will still be celebrated behind closed doors but will continue to be streamed on Facebook and uploaded to YouTube. The church has a speaker in the grounds so anyone can listen to the services live from outside.

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