George VI funeral leaflet falls at service for Queen

The leaflet had been preserved inside a historic bible

Church staff were shocked when a leaflet from George VI's funeral fell from a Bible before a service to mark the death of his daughter, the Queen.

St Genny's Church, near Crackington Haven, Cornwall, decided to use the King James Bible for Sunday's Evensong.

"No one could quite remember when the bible had last been used... but then the leaflet fell out the front," service leader Nick Danks said.

"It was just one of those wonderful moments that was meant to be," he said.

The front of the leaflet said it was "to be used in all Churches in England on the Day of the Funeral", which was on 15 February 1952.

No-one from the church could remember when the bible was last used

Mr Danks, who is also a part-time organist, said: "It made everyone stop for a moment and go 'wow'."

St Genny's, part of the Boscastle group of churches, held an Evensong service on Sunday to mark the death of the Queen.

• Listen: Leaflet from King George VI's funeral found inside a bible

St Genny's Church has a book of condolence for those wishing to pay their respects

Mr Danks said: "As we were setting up I decided this would be a nice moment to use the big old traditional King James Bible, the church's copy of which usually sits in the corner unused, but looking very lovely.

"It sits by the priest's door and no-one can remember when it was last used.

"Even people with long connections with the church can't remember when it was last used.

"It was just one of those extraordinary little moments of coincidence and we then thought that using this particular bible was exactly the right thing to do."

The leaflet contained an order of service, with a pattern of prayers and readings which are the same as those being put forward for services to mark the death of the Queen.