I spent ten days doing an advanced course on the Holocaust and anti-Semitism at Yad Vashem. We had some of the world's best academics lecturing us in Hebrew, French and English. There was one lesson they were constantly trying to drill into our thick heads: Don't compare anti-Semitism to other forms of racism.

He said that parents are using a "dubious interpretation of human right legislation" to pull students out of the classes, warning that such actions create a "dangerous" precedent.

Mr Holloway, who taught at comprehensive schools in Essex and Wiltshire before taking up his current post in the C of E's education office, said that the right to withdraw children from RE lessons risks being hijacked by those who want to "incite religious hatred".

England might be a major producer of asparagus, and the Vale of Evesham might be hosting the world famous Asparagus Festival, but where exactly does this stop? Would the Church of England permit a man dressed up as a baked bean to process behind a Heinz tin of the things, and sanctify the mummery with a facade of thanksgiving? And why only adoration of asparagus? Where's the sprout liturgy, or equality for mushrooms?

Builders renovating the Garden Museum, housed at the deconsecrated church of St Mary-at-Lambeth, found a hidden crypt containing 30 lead coffins.

Site manager Karl Patten said: "We discovered numerous coffins - and one of them had a gold crown on top of it".

The remains date back to the 1660s.