Angry parishioners at a Smith's Anglican church have asked the faith's top churchman to axe controversial new priest William Hayward, it was revealed yesterday.

Last night St. Mark's Church veteran Alfred Spearing -- one of the leaders of a stay-away rebel group protesting the appointment -- confirmed they had written to the Anglican head, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. George Carey asking him to unseat Fr. Hayward.

Mr. Spearing said: "The letter is asking the Archbishop to revoke the decision of the Bishop here in Bermuda and it sets out reasons why we think he is not suitable for the job.'' Fr. Hayward was appointed to the rectorship of St. Mark's earlier this month -- despite protests, a petition signed by around 90 of the church roll of just over 200 and a boycott of services.

Mr. Spearing said the letter to Dr. Carey underlined that Fr. Hayward did not meet the criteria set out by the church and that the appointment had not been handled with a sufficient degree of openness -- the usual method at St.

Mark's.

He added: "We've set out the whole procedure as we know it and right off the bat, Fr. Hayward doesn't qualify.

"It said in the advert `experienced parish priest' -- and he isn't. He's never had a parish.

"The big thing here is the committee just forgot all about the criteria and the procedure which taken was wrong.'' "The church congregation was never appraised of those two individuals who were shortlisted. We always made the congregation aware of what was going on in the past.'' Parishioners were also upset because the appointees at St. Mark's are traditionally married, with a wife prepared to enter into parish life. Fr.

Hayward is unmarried.

Mr. Spearing admitted that the selection procedure -- which presented Fr.

Hayward as Rector-elect without consultation -- may not have broken church law, but that it was "irregular'' in the light of previous committees' approaches to hiring a new priest.

It is understood that Anglican church law allows for an appeal to a special church court of Bishops in England.

The final decision rests with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the senior churchman in the worldwide Anglican communion.

Fr. Hayward was inducted into his new parish by Bishop of Bermuda Ewen Ratteray two weeks ago in a standing-room only service.

But there was a no-show by the church choir and a host of parishioners boycotted the event.

The move comes despite support for Fr. Hayward by part of the St. Mark's congregation and the backing of Bishop Ratteray, who issued a stern reprimand to the rebel parishioners during his sermon at the induction service.

Fr. Hayward also held out an olive branch to the stay-aways after the service and urged them to come back.

But Mr. Spearing insisted: "I would say most of the parishioners who are angry about this haven't been back.'' And he said that, when parishioners were asked to stand during the induction, only around 30 to 40 got up.

Mr. Spearing added that only a handful of the congregation bothered to turn up.