A CLERGYMAN has quit his church after 30 years claiming he was "persecuted" by a member of his flock.

And the Rev Clive Holmes, 67, an unpaid priest in Cumnor parish, walked out after lashing out at his vicar.

He accused the Rev Douglas Durand of failing to back him up in the row with a member of the congregation in the nearby village of Farmoor.

But now a wall of silence has come down over the astonishing - and mysterious - row.

Mr Holmes, who was minister in charge of St Mary's, Farmoor, masterminded the rebuilding of the tiny village church. The renovated building is due to be reopened on March 23 - but it will be without Mr Holmes, now worshipping at Kennington.

Mr Holmes, of Westminster Way, Botley, aired his grievances in a letter to the Cumnor village newsletter - but refused to discuss details with the Oxford Mail.

Members of the tiny congregation at St Mary's were also keeping mum.

In his letter, Mr Holmes said: "Over the past 18 months I have been continually persecuted on Sunday mornings. When this came to the knowledge of the vicar, he stated he would have words with the persecutor, but sadly did not do so."

Mr Holmes, who joined the church in Cumnor as a lay reader and became an unpaid minister in 1983, also complained about being undermined at a church committee meeting. He told the Mail: "If your boss takes away your authority, you cannot really carry out your ministry.

"I would rather not discuss it - people in Farmoor and Cumnor know the reasons, and that for me is sufficient.

"I think it was just a mistake - we all make mistakes. We just have to accept them and carry on without actually rowing with people. I am still great friends with the vicar."

Mr Durand declined to discuss the row yesterday but paid tribute in the village newsletter to Mr Holmes's work as a minister.

"We are very sorry for the hurts and misunderstandings that have occurred. Let us ask God's forgiveness for our disagreements," he said.

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