The Reverend Mark Sharpe, who is rector for the Teme Valley South Benefice, near Tenbury Wells, also refuted allegations he had missed a funeral.

Mr Sharpe has been away from work for almost six months because his doctor has told him the stresses of his post are detrimental to his health. He was signed off following an incident in the spring, when he was unable to attend a memorial service because of ill health.

Mr Sharpe said: “A funeral was conducted earlier in the day by a lady priest, who knew the deceased. It was conducted at Hereford Crematorium. I had been due to conduct the memorial service at 1pm.”

Mr Sharpe said he telephoned his managers at his diocese to tell them that he would be unable to attend four hours before the memorial service had been due to take place. He made the call after receiving an unpleasant telephone call that left him in tears.

He said: “After that I just said I couldn’t do the memorial service. I did everything properly. I telephoned the rural dean and the archdeacon to tell them. The diocese was unable to arrange cover for the memorial service. I did all the right things. I contacted the diocese.”

Today the Right Reverend Dr Peter Selby, the area’s bishop, said: “The position is there was a misunderstanding about what Mark Sharpe was saying. It was a regrettable and very serious incident. The archdeacon went round and spent time with the family, which represents taking responsibility on our part.”

Mr Sharpe added that there had been a number of unpleasant incidents, which increased the pressure on him. He said there had been a spate of petty crime at, or near to, his home, The Rectory, in Broad Heath.

He added: “I genuinely don’t know what will happen. I had hoped that things during the summer would have been quiet. But it has all blown up again. Part of me wondered whether I would be able to come back to work. But that was probably a naive thought.”