Plans to convert an old church and turn part of its graveyard into a garden left councillors shocked.

St Paul's Anglican Church, at Denholme Gate, is the subject of a planning application to change its use into a single home and use a fifth of the graveyard as a garden.

At Denholme Town Council planning meeting Councillor Graham Astell-Burt said: "I think it's disgusting. I found out last week and was gobsmacked -- the place is full of history.

"I think it's sacred ground. There's so much history in the gravestones.

"As councillors we can't really do a lot about it, but I've asked for it to be brought up at the next full council meeting.

"They should leave well alone because people have paid money to be buried there. It's a crying shame.

"I'm bitter that people are even contemplating turning it into something else."

He added: "They have been burying people up there since the church closed too. It makes me not want to get buried."

Located at the edge of the village, St Paul's closed down in June, 1997, when workmen discovered extensive rot at the building, which opened in 1846.

With repair costs estimated at £250,000 for the grade two listed building, churchgoers decamped to the Mechanics Institute before finding a permanent home at a former doctor's surgery, in Longhouse Lane.

A bid to return to the old church building, known affectionately as the "Minster on the Hill", was abandoned when raising the money needed proved impossible.

Speaking as churchwarden of St Paul's, Mayor Anne Jay added: "They are actually wanting to move some of the gravestones to one side. Human remains will stay as they are -- untouched.

"Although we are sad we are not in the building, we realised that we had to move on because a church is not just a building, it's its people."

She said the new graveyard over the wall was still in use and would not be affected.

The Rev Marguerite Mower arrived at St Paul's in February.

She said: "I think this is a difficult thing. I can see that the developers need a certain amount of space and I would expect them to have respect for the churchyard."

She said she had not come across a similar situation involving changing the use of a graveyard. Plans had been put forward that now seemed to be on the right lines.

"The building would be converted into a house, with the older part of the churchyard to the right as part of the property," she said. "The tombstones there would be moved to the remaining part of the churchyard, which is still in use.

"I know that plans to change the use of the building can bring back painful memories for many people.

"The diocese took its time over this decision and didn't rush into making it.

"It's a painful decision, " she added.

The spokesman for the Diocese of Bradford said a valuation had yet to be made on the church, as it all depended on the outcome of the planning decision.

He said money made from a sale would go to the diocese, but at no stage would remains be dug up and headstones would remain in the churchyard.

He added that removing headstones was often common practice, in order to maintain churchyards and make them safe.

Local people would be consulted throughout the process, he said.

A planning spokesman for Bradford Council said it was waiting for more details before making a recommendation.

Planning applicant Mr A Hill, of Wellington Road, Rhyl, and architects GHP Architects, of Halifax, declined to comment.