Move house ... but thou shalt not take thy dead relatives

When people move house they often take with them every fixture and fitting bar the kitchen sink. And sometimes even that too. But a new trend is dismaying bishops in the Church of England.

Increasing numbers are asking whether they can dig up their dead relatives and take them to another churchyard near their new home.

The trend has emerged in two judgments from separate dioceses in the Church of England.

Two chancellors — Church judges — have issued grieving relatives with a warning that, once buried, their dear departed must be allowed to rest in peace.