"We, the Dean and Canons of Manchester Cathedral understand that the interior of our building has been used, it would appear, without our permission, in the PS3 game 'Resistance: Fall of Man'.

During the game players are asked to assume the role of an army sergeant and win a battle in the Cathedral. We have seen screenshots of the game in play showing the interior of the Cathedral with the player's gun ready to fight; soldiers can be seen elsewhere in the nave taking aim. The video footage of the Cathedral battle on 'YouTube' has shocked and dismayed us beyond words and can only be described as virtual desecration.

We are shocked to see a place of worship, prayer, learning and heritage being presented to the youth of today as a location where guns can be fired.

We were sickened to discover that millions of people who play the game have a choice of weaponry to use within the Cathedral including the Rossmore 236 close-quarter combat shotgun, the L23 Fareye sniper rifle and the XR-005 Hailstorm chaingun.

Every year we invite hundreds of teenagers to come and see the Cathedral so that they might appreciate an alternative to the violence that they experience in their daily lives; it is a shame to have a game like this undermining such important work. It is well know that Manchester has serious gun-crime problems, as can be testified by the sad shooting of three youths in the past 72 hours, and, for many young people, these games offer a different sort of reality. Seeing guns in Manchester Cathedral is not the sort of connection we want them or anyone to make.

For a global manufacturer to re-create the interior of any religious building such as a mosque, synagogue, or, in this case, a cathedral with photo-realistic quality, and then encourage people to have gun battles in the building is beyond belief and, in our view, highly irresponsible.

We therefore demand the following:

1. Sony immediately withdraw the game and furthermore, that Sony do not re-issue it without modifying the section of the game to remove the cathedral interior.

2. Sony apologise unreservedly for using the interior of the building without permission.

Given that no permission was sought, and the inappropriate nature of the game, we would also ask Sony to make a substantial donation allowing our Education Department to work more effectively with those aged between 18-30, and other agencies with whom we work, in resisting the culture of gun crime and other forms of violence in our society.

We are currently seeking the advice of our lawyers in this matter and reserve our legal position in relation to the same however, as it is our fervent desire to find a mutually satisfactory conclusion to this matter, we ask Sony to email or write to us to arrange a meeting in the next few days so that the issues we have raised can be discussed."

The Very Revd Rogers Govender (on behalf of the Dean and Canons)