MEMORIALS to the Bedser cricketing legends could be removed from the Woking church where their ashes are interred.

All Saints Church in Woodham is holding a consultation about possibly removing the 19 memorials in the Garden of Remembrance because of confusion about the subject.

The memorials include small crosses bearing the names of Sir Alec Bedser, who died in 2010, and his identical twin brother Eric, who died in 2006.

The church has posted copies of the consultation to 80 families who had a funeral in the church in the past 10 years, but it is having trouble reaching others, including the Bedser family, and is asking them to make contact.

Memorials are not allowed at the church, but some of the families who placed them were told by someone at All Saints in the past that they were.

The consultation document states: “Other families who knew that memorials are not permitted and have obeyed that rule, are unhappy that other families have apparently been allowed to have memorials.

“There is space for a further 489 interments to take place. However, there would not be space for 489 memorials. Nor is there space for memorials for the 340 interments that have already taken place.”

The consultation states that the Archdeacon of Dorking told the parochial church council that it does not have the authority to permit memorials and that it must either apply to be able to do so or find a way of removing the current memorials.

The names of all people interred in the garden are in a Book of Remembrance.

The consultation runs until 23 March and views can be submitted to [email protected] or by writing to The Churchwarden, All Saints Church, 564 Woodham Lane, Woking GU21 5SH.

For the full story get the 23 January edition of the News & Mail