Vicar removes 'scary' cross from his church

A VICAR ordered the removal of a sculpture of Jesus Christ being crucified from the front of his church after branding it "unsuitable" and "a horrifying depiction of pain and suffering".

The Rev Ewen Souter said the Christian symbol was frightening children and scaring off worshippers at St John's Church in Horsham, West Sussex.

He has had the 10ft resin sculpture, by Edward Bainbridge Copnall, a former president of the Royal Society of British Sculptors, torn down. It has been replaced by a modern stainless steel cross.

Mr Souter, formerly a cell biologist, said: "The crucifix expressed suffering, torment, pain and anguish. It was a scary image, particularly for children. Parents didn't want to walk past it with their kids because they found it so horrifying."

The sculpture was removed and taken on a low-loader lorry to nearby Horsham Museum, where it will now be displayed.

One member of the church's congregation, who asked not to be named, said: "Next they'll be ripping out the pews and putting sofas in their place, or throwing out all the bibles and replacing them with laptops."

Mr Souter, who has been the vicar of St John's since 2001, believes the new cross will present "a message of hope".