THE Rev Donald Sloggett, who signed the notices ordering the removal of hand-made graveside memorials, said graves belonged to the Church and it was by privilege, rather than right, that they were permitted.

Kerbstones, borders, chippings and certain ornaments were expressly forbidden by the notices at St James the Great, in Norton, near Worcester.

In the months running up to his appointment - he has been incumbent for a matter of weeks - Mr Sloggett said churchwardens had become increasingly concerned about relatives flouting those laws.

"Almost every churchyard in the country will have had to deal with this issue," he said.

"We're in a very difficult position because it's set by law and is out of our hands, but at the same time we've got to administer it.

"We're just trying to normalise the churchyard."

He said the PCC had taken care only to serve notices on memorials that had appeared recently.

"We are trying to find out what's happened in the past year or two," he said.

"The notice on the pebble cross was a mistake - people just hadn't seen it there before.

"If it's been there for a long time it's not been an issue."

He urged the Melillos to contact him and assured them the cross could stay.

"To be honest, we assumed people would contact us," Mr Sloggett said.

"If the persons concerned want to talk about it, we would welcome it.

"But I can assure you, while people are complaining to the media, there are many more complaining to us that the regulations are being flouted."