A MARKET trader with a passion for renovating war graves has been barred from from a Blackburn churchyard over his ‘tacky’ restorations.

Alan Taylor started tending abandoned memorials to former soldiers ten months ago.

But his work at St James’ Church, Lower Darwen, came to an end after a confrontation with the vicar over breaking Church of England regulations on how graves should be maintained and decorated.

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A spokesman from the Diocese of Blackburn said Mr Taylor had been working late at night, ignored repeated requests to follow the rules and ‘aggressively’ used bad language when tackled on the issue.

His involvement at St James’s churchyard followed a request earlier this year from the Australian daughter of a deceased ex-serviceman who had seen graves he had restored in Blackburn Cemetery.

He showed its vicar the RevTim Horobin the restoration of the grave and asked to work on other untended plots and was even given a map to work from.

Two weeks ago and half a dozen grave restorations later, he turned up at the churchyard with his 12-year-old son Conor and was told by Mr Horobin not to return and that his use of artificial grass and plastic flowers was ‘tacky’.

Mr Taylor accused the ministerof ‘ranting and raving’ at him.

The diocese said the 47-year-old owner of the ‘Spuds n Puds Sarsaparilla’ stall on Blackburn Market, had ‘responded aggressively and with inappropriate language to the vicar’.

The Guide resident said he would never return to St James’s and would instead concentrate on the council’s Blackburn Cemetery on Whalley New Road where his work was welcome.

Mr Taylor, who has no military background, started his work when he saw abandoned war graves there and set up a facebook page to encourage others to do the same.

He was contacted by Christine Langton from Australia in early summer who asked him to clean up her father James Cottam’s grave in St James’s graveyard.

Mr Taylor said: “I did so using bark chips and showed my work to the Rev Horobin who approved me to continue.

“I seemed very welcome and did about seven or eight in the churchyard using artificial turf and plastic flowers.

“Nobody told me the materials were against church regulations and the ‘Friends’ group at the church seemed pleased.

“Then a couple of weeks ago I turned up and the Rev Horobin started ranting and raving at me and said I was barred from coming back.

“He said my restored graves were ‘tacky’ and I was now allowed to use artificial turf and plastic flowers.

“If he had asked me politely I would have changed them to bark and paper poppies and done any more the using the regulation materials.

“I was not aggressive and did not use bad language. I had my lad with me so I just went quietly.

Mr Horobin confirmed the dispute, referring further queries to the Diocese.

A Diocese spokesman said Rev Horobin had used the word ‘tacky’ to Mr Taylor but remained calm throughout, He said: “The churchyard is ‘closed’ to new burials and the council has taken over official maintenance.

“Due to cutbacks they are only able to carry out maintenance three times a year so a ‘graveyard friends’ group of volunteers also contributes.

“Mr Taylor offered to maintain the war graves.

“Since initiating work on the graves he has been turning up every day, sometimes at night after dark, to dig in the churchyard.

“Despite being advised of churchyard regulations, he is now adding additional items to the graves as well as replacing some natural turf with artificial grass.

“The Diocese of Blackburn has very specific regulations about what can and can’t be placed in our churchyards.

“Mr Taylor has been asked to carry out the maintenance in a more appropriate manner, otherwise it would have to stop.

“He has responded aggressively and with inappropriate language to the vicar.

“He has been ‘suspended’ until an amicable resolution can be worked out rather than banned from the churchyard.”

MrTaylor denied working late at night and in the dark.

Highercroft councillor Andy Kay, in whose ward the church is located, said: “I met with the Rev Horobin, after Mr Taylor contacted me.

“There are different regulations concerning church-owned graveyards and council ones. I hope an amicable resolution can be found.”

Ewood councillor Maureen Bateson, a customer of his stall, said: “I am not sure what has gone on but I know Alan does a lot of good work restoring war graves and puts a lot of time, effort and his own money into this.”