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

A cross was fixed to his grave, but remained without a headstone.

But someone remembered him, and Elizabeth Lawn, a carer at Mr Kearn's former rest home, made it a routine to stop by with flowers for his grave every Anzac Day.

Mr Kearns, born Francis Thomas Kearns, died in October 2004, and Ms Lawn had visited every year since.

In time, the cross disappeared, and now the grave site is unmarked.

Ms Lawn is sometimes joined by her friend, rest home manager Barbara Moore, on Anzac Day. Together the women sought action on the headstone.

"He was one of those guys who touched my heart, I suppose," Ms Lawn said. "Every year I think `poor Frankie'. This year I thought, we really need to do something."

The women approached the RSA to discuss the possibility of a headstone and the wheels were quickly set in motion.

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Yoav Medan, an Israeli medical technology executive, couldn't find just the right message for his mother's headstone but after deliberating with his family, Medan broadened his options by attaching a QR code to the grave in Haifa, Israel.

Medan didn't know what to write on his mother's headstone, but when visitors scan the QR code with the camera in their phone they will be taken to a tribute website.

Having something dynamic means her memory can extend over time and the site will evolve with stories and photos from his mother's life.

Sources

• Mashable