A SURGEON is facing a battle to keep a 7ft high crucifix in the grounds of his house after planning officials told him he put it up without permission.

Dr Gunther Schmitgen, a surgeon at Burnley General Hospital, built the religous shrine as a symbol of his Christianity after moving to Lancashire from his home in Bavaria, southern Germany eight years ago for work.

He said he had wanted to express his religion and moral values in the same way many European countries put up roadside shrines to religious figures.

The figure of Christ on the cross is carved out of wood and Dr Schmitgen said it was not near anyone else's property.

But Burnley Council planners have now told father-of-one Dr Schmitgen, 51, the structure needs planning permission because of its size, after receiving a complaint.

He has been told to apply for retrospective permission for the crucifix, which was put up a year ago.

Dr Schmitgen and wife Catja, 38, a GP in Nelson, live at Foulds House, Briercliffe along with their daughter Ute, three.

The surgeon said: "When I came to live in England I thought it would be nice to build something to show my Christian values. I think that if we had more moral values in this country then problems like violent crime would be much less and the crucifix seemed to be a good way to show my feelings without offending anyone.

"The crucifix is not near any highways or anyone else's house so I didn't think I would need planning permission for it, but now I have been told I must apply.

"It would be a great shame if I were to have to remove it as I don't think it is doing anyone any harm.

"I grew up a Roman Catholic and many countries in Europe have public shrines, but they are not so common in England."

Sue Graham, Burnley Council's head of planning services, said: "We responded to a formal complaint last year about alleged unauthorised development in the area.

"We advised Mr Schmitgen at that time that he should make a retrospective planning application to regularise the position.

"He has now submitted a planning application and the council will be dealing with it in the usual way."