Vicar gave 'provocative' sermon

The Rev Dr Tom Ambrose is vicar of a church in Trumpington, Cambs

A vicar gave a "provocative" sermon aimed at winding up members of his congregation he had disagreements with, a tribunal has heard.

The Rev Dr Tom Ambrose, 60, of St Mary and St Michael Church in Trumpington, Cambs, is accused of using a 2002 Palm Sunday service to provoke parishioners.

He delivered the speech just days after being told by a bishop to end the row.

The ecclesiastical tribunal, being held in the City of London, will cost the Church of England around £500,000.

The tribunal was told how the Parochial Church Council (PCC) - the ruling body of the parish - was advised by the Bishop of Huntingdon, the Right Rev John Flack, to draw "some kind of a line" under the church dispute.

'Very provocative'

Giving evidence Carolyn Aston, a former member of the PCC - the ruling body of the parish - described the Palm Sunday sermon as "very provocative" and aimed at "winding people up".

She told the hearing in St Mary-Le-Bow Church, that there had been hope of a reconciliation between Dr Ambrose and a group within the parish in early 2002, but the atmosphere became an "awful lot worse" in the following months.

She said: "At the time, there was still hope that we could be able to bring some kind of reconciliation between the groups, but subsequent events proved that Dr Ambrose was not going to have any of that."

Mrs Aston was speaking on the third day of the tribunal hearing into whether relations between Dr Ambrose and his parishioners had broken down.

Justin Gau, counsel for the PCC, told the hearing that Dr Ambrose was a "square peg in a round hole" who had conducted himself in a shameful manner, inundating members of the congregation with letters and emails when they opposed his views.

It has also been alleged that Dr Ambrose spat at a church warden.

The hearing has heard of disputes between Dr Ambrose and parishioners about the date of the harvest festival supper, and an allegation that he had five trees felled in the churchyard without consulting the PCC.

The tribunal continues.