A church is mounting a campaign to ban Sunday morning football games and has complained to the police because noise from matches disturbs services.

Rev Clifford Reed, from Ipswich where the local derby with Norwich is the biggest match of the year, says that matches played on Sunday mornings interrupt worship in churches close to football grounds, and kick-off should be delayed out of respect for church-goers.

Trustees of his church have written to the police to complain about noise from a recent derby game. Mr Reed, minister at the Unitarian Meeting House in Ipswich, complained that noise from police helicopters circling the ground when Ipswich met Norwich on Sunday April 13 was “very very intrusive”.

The Suffolk derby kick-off is usually at 12 noon on a Sunday to limit crowd disturbance, in the hope that fans will go to the stadium before visiting the pub.

But Mr Reed told Times Online that police helicopters circling above the church meant he had to raise his voice during the service and quiet reflection was impossible. He said that if such a disruption had been carried out intentionally it would be against the law. The church has lodged an official complaint with the police about the noise.

Mr Reed, who has been minister at the church for 30 years, acknowledged that the disturbance was unintentional, but has called for derby games to be played later on Sundays to avoid a clash with "hundreds" of worshippers going to church. He said pubs should be closed before the game if police are concerned about disturbance from fans under the influence of alcohol.

In a letter to The East Anglian Daily Times Mr Reed said the disturbance was “quite unacceptable, if not illegal, as I believe it is an offence to disrupt a service of worship.”

A spokesman for Ipswich Town Football Club said: “The police determine the kick off time and we have to abide by their advice.”

Tim Beach, Detective Superintendent and the match commander for the local derby said, "It is unfortunate that the helicopter disturbed any religious service and the constabulary is always mindful of the impact it can have in any neighbourhood." But he added that the effect on the local area had to be "balanced" against the need to keep the match safe.

Father Stephen Raine, minister at St Mary at the Elms church Ipswich said that on derby day his church changes the time of the service to avoid a “conflict of interest” with the match.