Families who have been devastated by the loss of a child, stillbirth or miscarriage will soon have a special place to remember lost loved ones in a village church.

Reverend Andrew Beane, the rector of Spixworth, Horsham St Faith and Crostwick, is looking to create an area of remembrance under an archway in St Peter's Church, Buxton Road, Spixworth.

Rev Beane said: 'We're going to create a little space where maybe we could have a candle that could be lit or a piece or artwork that shows a mother and child. We want to create it by Easter. It will be a special place for children who have died.

'It's because there's been a couple of people in the village who have lost babies at an early age so we thought it would be a nice space we could create in the church which would be more appropriate for things to be left than on graves outside.'

Rev Beane said he was prompted to try and create an area of remembrance in the church after seeing a lace cross made in memory of Alice Rowlands - a girl who died aged just 15 days old in 2007.

The cross was made by Alice's mother Miranda who lives with her husband Paul and son Sam in Chestnut Avenue, Spixworth.

Rev Beane said: 'It must've been a labour of love - it's really very beautiful and quite amazing, It's just sat there and so Alice was one of the triggers for that.'

Mr Rowlands, who together with his wife and son have helped raise more than �48,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) since Alice's death, was fully behind setting up such an area in the church.

He said: 'I think that's a really lovely idea. It's really nice Andrew's taken notice of what Miranda's done and it's inspired him to do that. It's another lasting memory for Alice and for us. It's a really nice touch.'

Alice was born six weeks early and with a rare liver condition, neonatal hemochromatosis, at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in September 2007.

After just five days she was moved to King's College Hospital in London, miles from her Spixworth home, where she later died.

Since her death her parents set up the Alice Rowlands Memorial Society (ARMS) to raise money for RMHC which provides accommodation for families whose loved ones are in hospital miles from home.

Are you doing something unusual to remember a loved one? Call reporter Peter Walsh on 01603 772436 or email peter.walsh@archant.co.uk