Churchwardens forced to carry whistles in case of church fires

There was outrage last night over this latest example of health and safety bureaucrats imposing themselves on places of worship that have coped without interference for centuries.

Thousands of churches are singleroomed stone buildings with small congregations. Ministers are insisting wardens must have a whistle, gong or air horn on hand to signal an evacuation if a blaze starts.

Indeed, some of England's 16,000 churches have already held fire drills during the last hymn.

The rules, introduced by the Department of Communities and Local Government - headed by devout Roman Catholic Ruth Kelly - were revealed by two senior church leaders.

In a newsletter to local churches, the Venerable Christine Hardman, Archdeacon of Lewisham, and the Venerable Michael Ipgrave, Archdeacon of Southwark, wrote: "Some churches have already held "fire practice" during the last hymn, timed the evacuation and noted that in their risk assessment.

"Churchwardens should be provided with standard teachers' playground whistles for this purpose."

MPs reacted with astonishment last night at the red tape being imposed on churches.

Conservative Sir Patrick Cormack, a warden at St Mary's in Enville, Staffordshire, said: "This is more bureaucracy gone mad.

"Why can't people be treated like responsible adults and trusted to behave properly without the Government sticking its nose in."

The Government has already been criticised after insisting that churches display "No Smoking" signs when the ban on lighting up in enclosed public spaces comes into effect in England on July 1.

The decision has left religious leaders bemused because, they say, no one smokes in places of worship.