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A grieving UK family has been told that it cannot put an image of Thomas the Tank Engine on a headstone for their three-year-old son in a church graveyard.
Max Gainard, who was born in Bristol, died from sepsis last February.
The boy was said to have loved the stories of Thomas the Tank Engine.
The books were written by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry – an Anglican – after he made up tales to amuse his son who was suffering from measles.
Max’s parents, Paul and Nicola Gainard, sought permission to have a five-inch coloured image of Thomas included on their son’s grave stone at St Bartholomew Church in their home village of Wick.
But Justin Gau, Chancellor of the Diocese of Bristol, rejected the application despite another grave at St Bartholomew Church already having a picture of teddy bear on it.
Mr Gau accepted his refusal would cause the couple ”heartache”, that it is a “terribly sad case” and that the parents are “quite naturally devastated”.
But he said church yard memorials “must be fitting and appropriate not just for today but also for the future”.
Mr Gau is a judge of the Church of England’s Consistory Court, which has to approve matters relating to consecrated ground.
In his judgement, the chancellor said churchyards were consecrated and memorials had to be consistent with consecrated status.
Mrs Gainard and her husband are appealing the decision.
“The community is behind us and petitions have been circulated. Max was very much loved,” she said.
‘We are devastated by what’s happened and just want him laid to rest appropriately within his village, and we are keen to get this headstone laid as soon as possible.”
The Gainards said the Thomas the Tank Engine image would identify the grave as that of a child.
They said there were other images in the graveyard that they considered to be vulgar.
Mr Gau said the teddy bear image and other images which fall foul of graveyard regulations may have been introduced unlawfully and could not be allowed to set a precedent.
Sources
- The Daily Mail
- Image: Daily Mail
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