AN OUTSPOKEN country vicar sparked controversy again yesterday after condemning the "depraved conduct" of homosexuals.

The Reverend Ted Spiller caused outrage by claiming gays used a climate of political correctness to make people feel they could not question homosexual practices.

The rector of the Thorntons and the Otteringtons, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, hit the headlines earlier this year after labelling gays as being among "the ugly sores in our society".

His latest comments, in a letter to the Church Times, came as he announced his retirement after 15 years in the parish.

In his letter, Mr Spiller said: "My understanding of the word homophobia is 'a hatred or fear of homosexuals'. They would be the last people for me to fear or hate."

Richard Kirker, of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, said last night: "Those people who say they object to the word homophobia are unconvincing in their claims not to be homophobic.

"There are some heterosexual people who will refuse to recognise their homophobia when it stares them in the face, and they should be treated with contempt at the end of the day."