Vicar causes outrage by pitching a YURT in his graveyard to pull in more youngsters

Occupying a small corner of the graveyard, they could use the mongolian-style tent to worship and learn more about sustainable living.

But no sooner had the local vicar put the finishing touches to his homely yurt than his local parishioners rebelled - organising a petition calling for it to be torn down.

What seemed a harmless enterprise at first has now split the close-knit town of Westgate in County Durham with some going so far as to accuse the church of "blasphemy".

The tent in the graveyard of Westgate Church is used by youngsters for prayer meetings and to learn about sustainable living but a petition has been started by locals objecting to the 'disrespectful' tent

Pat Fairless, 60, who organised the 104-name petition, said yesterday: "I think it is disgraceful that consecrated ground be put to use in such a way."

She claimed it was only a matter of time before headstones were damaged.

"Who will be responsible?" she asked. "Who will console the grieving relatives and pay for the work needed to repair them?

"Villagers have paid a lot of money to put their loved ones to rest in this churchyard. I think it is almost blasphemy."

Another resident, Yvonne Lee, said: "I'm horrified that it's been put up here. The people buried in the graveyard should be left to rest in peace."

Mrs Fairless, whose father-in-law is buried at St Andrew's Church, has now sent her petition to the Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Tom Wright, who has called for an urgent investigation.

The offending tent was first put up in the graveyard last week.

It had previously been standing in a local farmer's hay meadow but because it was in the way of summer crop Reverend Robert Brown, the man behind the scheme, had no choice but to move it.

Defending his decision to move the yurt into the graveyard he said it was a holy space and claimed it had been blessed by the Bishop of Jarrow for youngsters in the area 'to be close to creation'.

"It's temporary, it wooden, it's made of natural materials and it's sustainable and to have that as a place of worship speaks of a way of treating creation with respect," he said.

"As the priest here I fully understand and appreciate the concerns but not one person has spoken to me to find out what goes on here.

I'm astonished that it's caused such a reaction, especially when the people who come to worship in the church are so in favour of it."

Rev Brown, who looks after the upper Weardale parish, believes the local residents have misunderstood that the dome is for church work, and is not a youth club.

He said the project was designed to teach youngsters about sustainable living and to consider the environment.

"It is a church meeting for young people," he added.

"We start with an hour-and-a-half of stillness and prayer, followed by a song and a Bible story, often about St Cuthbert because we have a picture of the saint hanging in the yurt.

"We then have a cake made with organic cocoa donated from some of the ladies who come to the church. We use no electricity - it is lit by beeswax candles.

"It is to allow us to be close to the earth and close to creation, while learning how to pray at the same time."

Rebutting the claims of his opponents he said they had no problem with dogs walking on the graveyard or lawnmowers but as soon as it involved young people they had voiced their concerns.

"If you can't do church work in a churchyard, then where can you do it?" he said.

But local County Councillor John Shuttleworth branded the tent's current location 'insensitive'.

"A lot of people around here have loved ones buried in the graveyard," he said. "It's just not a fitting place to have a tent."

Last night, the Bishop of Durham asked the Archdeacon of Auckland, the Venerable Nick Barker, to investigate the issue.

His spokesman said: "The Bishop of Durham is sorry that Mrs Fairless and all those who have signed a petition are upset. He understands the sensitivities and concerns in the graveyard.

"He appreciates Rob Brown's work with young people in the area, which he understands is also supported by the Parochial Church Council and many of the local community.

"The young people go to the yurt as a place of worship, to learn about ecology, to pray and find quiet.

"He is very grateful to the farmer who has hosted the yurt until now. He would be very pleased to hear from anyone in the local community who could help this valuable and committed work with our young people by offering an alternative site.

"He will ask the Archdeacon of Auckland to further investigate the matter."