A senior London cleric has criticised rules requiring churches to display 'no smoking' signs when a ban comes into force in England in July.

Insisting that smoking was not a common problem in church, the Dean of Southwark, the Very Rev Colin Slee said the sign regulations were "daft" and that historic religious buildings should be exempt.

A ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces begins on 1 July.

The Department of Health previously said that providing an exemption "would have created a dangerous precedent".

Mr Slee claimed one church had been threatened with closure by the council if it failed to comply.

Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme he said: "All deans have received a very formal letter and been instructed that it's mandatory to put up these signs, even on wonderful Grade I listed heritage entrances."

The Archdeacon of Down in Ireland, the Ven Phillip Patters, had previously raised similar concerns describing the rules as "overkill" and "unnecessary".

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "I accept, without reservation, that there is a long tradition not to smoke in churches but, as I am sure people will appreciate, to have provided an exemption would have created a dangerous precedent."