Parishioners have leapt to the defence of a Queensbury vicar accused of blundering his way through a funeral.

As reported in the Telegraph & Argus, widow Tracy Kendall claimed that a catalogue of errors by the vicar of Holy Trinity Church turned her husband Michael's funeral in February into a farce.

Mrs Kendall, of Lidget Green, alleged the Reverend Peter Hedge had smelled of drink at the service, looked dishevelled, stumbled up steps and gave mourners wrong information.

Although Mr Hedge admitted turning up half an hour late after sleeping-in, he denied he had been drinking.

Since Monday's story, a diocesan spokesman told the T&A: "I believe the Rural Deacon has been in touch to arrange a further meeting with Mrs Kendall and the Archdeacon of Bradford is also putting in hand steps to ensure that what happened is reviewed and dealt with."

Meanwhile, churchgoers and people who have experienced Mr Hedge's ministry in time of need have rallied round to give him their support.

One of Holy Trinity's church wardens, Roger Neale, said: "In the five years he has been with us he has built up the congregation. He works well in the community and in the village and is well-regarded. He's had to deal with some tremendously difficult funerals here and has done so sensitively. As a man I think he's tremendous, very sincere and works very hard."

Parishioner Sally Jackson, of Hainsworth Moor Crescent, has been to three funerals led by Mr Hedge - one of them for her stillborn grandson.

She said all the services were beautiful and added: "With his help and advice the funeral of my grandson, at which there were a great many young people in distress, was more peaceful than I could have believed possible.

"I sympathise with the Kendall family that things went wrong, as occasionally they do, and I'm sure Mr Hedge feels greatly distressed by the events."

Margaret North, of Undercliffe, has also spoken of the comfort Mr Hedge gave her and her partner.

She said: "My mother and my partner's father, who both lived in Queensbury, died within a year of each other and Mr Hedge was absolutely marvellous on both occasions.

"He listened very carefully to what we wanted for my mother's funeral and co-ordinated the whole thing, which made a really wonderful service. In fact, even people who weren't particularly close to her ended up in tears."