The Rev Bob Farrell has been a pillar of the community for years.

The Evangelical pastor works for the homeless, helps a Christian charity and preaches to his flock every Sunday.

But the 40-year-old has unwittingly sparked an unholy row with the genteel owners of the Haywards Heath Christian Book Centre, who have banned his book of poetry, I 49 and Other Roads, because it contains rude words.

Mr Farrell, pastor of Bolney Village Chapel, an Evangelical christian church near Haywards Heath, responded that the "tea at three brigade" were "wonderful people but just a little distanced from reality".

He said: "I went in to see how sales were going and really got a dressing down, finding out that sales weren't going anywhere. Quote: 'Fancy using the words crap and buggered - and you being a pastor.' Well God help us, that's all I can say.

"I think of Sarah Payne, the machete massacres of Rwanda, the rivers full of dead and bloated bodies, the lopped off limbs of the young babies of Sierra Leone, the millions of Jews dead in gas chambers, burnt in ovens. Add to that small selection of humanity's niceness the evil tendencies of our own hearts, then to refer to all this as crappy is, it seems to be, a gross understatement.

"I do admit to often feeling buggered. You know, absolutely whacked. That is the context within our society this word is widely used."

Mr Farrell preaches every Sunday and "takes care of the flock through spiritual care". But he says religion is irrelevant and writes poetry as an emotional outlet.

He said: "I'm not angry or bitter at all. They are lovely people at the bookshop but I think they've got it wrong this time. There's naff all outrageous about this. But sometimes the tea at three brigade don't like it up 'em.

"Poetry is really relevant and lively - cut the crap and tell it how it is. The Bible doesn't pull any punches."

The Christian Book Centre declined to comment.