Great news! A Christian driver called Colin, sacked in April for displaying a palm cross in his van for 15 years which might offend other faiths, has been reinstated.

Thousands wrote in to complain, some from East Lancashire, and Christian Concern took up the cudgel to negotiate the man’s return, with even permission to carry on displaying his cross. An answer to much prayer, it seemed.

Now, the not-so-great news. He was suspended again last week after his van was taken off him and he was moved to a different workplace 16 miles from home, difficult to reach without transport.

He is one of a dozen or so Christians who have lost jobs because of their beliefs. Others include foster parents, a counsellor, a magistrate and even a marriage registrar.

“I thought common sense had triumphed when the company agreed I could go back to work,” the driver explained after his latest suspension, “but there is still a lot of hostility against me, even though I have done nothing more than defend the basic rights of Christians to express their faith in public.”

He was offered an early retirement package so long as he agreed to a gagging order, preventing public comments. He was suspended when he refused the deal saying, “I will not be gagged.”

One suspects parts of England are somewhat embarrassed by its Christian heritage.