Second church protests over gay dean

The financial protest over the appointment of a homosexual clergyman as Dean of St Albans gathered pace today as a second parish withheld thousands of pounds from central church funds.

The parish council of St Peter's and St Paul's in Cranfield near Heathrow is so opposed to the appointment of Dr Jeffrey John that they have voted to withhold their entire ?23,500 quota for 2004.

The Anglican Church was bitterly split when Dr John was named Bishop of Reading last summer and he withdrew his acceptance of the post. But the row has resumed following his new appointment. More than 40 clergy have written in protest to the Bishop of St Albans. The vicar of Cranfield, the Rev Hugh Symes-Thompson, said the new dean would be "seen as a symbol of our shame".

Two weeks ago the Holy Trinity Church in Barnet said it was withholding ?33,600 from the diocese.