Divorcees could finally be married in Sussex churches if leading clergymen agree.

At present the Dioecese of Chichester does not allow people with broken marriages to wed again in church.

Some churches allow a blessing of the marriage, but only if neither partner was responsible for the breakdown of their previous relationship.

Now vicars and congregations all over Sussex are being asked their views about relaxing the rules.

They have been asked to fill in questionnaires so the county's leading clergymen can gauge whether a change is needed.

The responses will be heard at the Diocese Synod meeting on 11 November at Cardinal Newman School in Hove.

Parishes were sent copies of a report called Marriage in Church After Divorce.

Figures show that 75 per cent of those who replied believed there should be circumstances when a divorced person may be married in church during the lifetime of a former spouse.

Many felt the final decision on whether a divorcee should remarry in church should remain with the bishop, But others pointed out that the vicar, who has personal contact with the divorcees, would be in the best position to judge whether a couple should be allowed to walk up the aisle again as man and wife.

Churchgoers in Worthing, Storrington and Chichester have suggested setting up a marriage board, which would make a decision on individual cases.

It was also suggested that divorcees wanting to wed in church should complete a questionnaire so a panel could assess their circumstances.

However, numerous parishes still believed that remarriage was against religious teaching.

A spokeswoman for the Diocese of Chichester said: "There was a good response to the request for deaneries to read Marriage in Church after Divorce and debate the issues that it contained.

"We are unable to say what will happen at the Synod. All the responses will be put on the table and debated. Unfortunately the Synod will not be open to members of the public."

The outgoing Bishop of Chichester, Eric Kemp, declined to give his views, but he is generally regarded as a conservative in the church.

A final decision will be made at a General Synod, attended by all the bishops of England, next year.

The Rev Mark Standen, of St Margarets Church in Angmering, said: "The situation at present in the Chichester Diocese is that clergy are not allowed to remarry divorcees in church.

"Provided that neither of the couple was instrumental in the break-up of the other's marriage, the children of previous relationships have been properly provided for and that no public outrage would be caused by such a service, the Bishops will give permission for such a service, loosely called a blessing, to take place.

"The present debate is designed to see whether the Church can come to one mind on the issue."