ROMSEY Abbey has defended the £6,000 it has spent on a painting after worshippers labelled it ‘ugly’ and said it was putting them off their prayers.

According to an Abbey spokesperson, 15 people wrote letters of objection.

The letters of complaint were sent in when the Abbey bought the artwork of St Ethelflaeda, an abbess at the Abbey in the Dark Ages.

The painting was created by the late artist Christopher Gollon in October 2016.

A spokesman said: “All members are invited to write in any objections, and while it is a sizeable purchase, we realise that art is sometimes supposed to be controversial.

“Of our 400 strong congregation, 15 wrote in to tell us of their thoughts. It is part of every single process when the Abbey purchases an item.

“I fear it has all been blown out of proportion, and it is important to put some context around it all.”