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| Aston church protests at Easter Premier League game | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A protest is being held by churchgoers in Birmingham over the decision to play a football match on Easter Sunday. | A protest is being held by churchgoers in Birmingham over the decision to play a football match on Easter Sunday. |
| Worshippers at Aston Parish church are staging the demonstration outside nearby Villa Park before Aston Villa's match with Liverpool. | |
| The vicar, the Reverend Andy Jolley, said that Easter Sunday "should remain a special day for families." | The vicar, the Reverend Andy Jolley, said that Easter Sunday "should remain a special day for families." |
| He said he had written to the Premier League and BSkyB, which is broadcasting the game, but neither had replied. | He said he had written to the Premier League and BSkyB, which is broadcasting the game, but neither had replied. |
| Aston Parish Church on Witton Lane is a third of a mile away from Villa Park. | Aston Parish Church on Witton Lane is a third of a mile away from Villa Park. |
| Previous protests | Previous protests |
| Mr Jolley said: "It's the third time we've had matches on Easter Sunday in the last eight years and it is frustrating. | Mr Jolley said: "It's the third time we've had matches on Easter Sunday in the last eight years and it is frustrating. |
| "All the shops around here will be closed today because they are not allowed to trade on Easter Sunday. | "All the shops around here will be closed today because they are not allowed to trade on Easter Sunday. |
| "It's a day which legislation has recognised as a special one for families. | "It's a day which legislation has recognised as a special one for families. |
| "[The match] takes people in Aston's attention immediately away from what is the focus of the day which is Easter and Jesus's resurrection." | "[The match] takes people in Aston's attention immediately away from what is the focus of the day which is Easter and Jesus's resurrection." |
| Mr Jolley said he had also had meetings with Aston Villa and the club had offered parking spaces and a minibus to help members of the congregation go to church. | Mr Jolley said he had also had meetings with Aston Villa and the club had offered parking spaces and a minibus to help members of the congregation go to church. |
| The Easter service ends just before the match kicks off. | The Easter service ends just before the match kicks off. |
| Protests first took place at Aston Parish Church over Easter matches in 1999 when the vicar at that time, Reverend Keith Sinclair, rang church bells during a match with Chelsea. | Protests first took place at Aston Parish Church over Easter matches in 1999 when the vicar at that time, Reverend Keith Sinclair, rang church bells during a match with Chelsea. |