BITTER divisions over the running of debt-ridden York Minster erupted yesterday as former staff launched a character assassination of the man they blame for the crisis.

The Very Rev Raymond Furnell, who retired as Dean of York this month after nine years, was accused of being “a bully and a tyrant”. They say that he treated the cathedral as his personal fiefdom, ruling through fear and wasting thousands of pounds on hotel “junkets”, before handing out redundancy notices.

Dean Furnell’s final act at York Minster was the decision to close its library and to introduce admission charges to reduce an annual deficit of £600,000. The measure has been delayed after the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, expressed concern.

Among those leading the assault was Arnold Woodfield, the former head policeman, who accused Dean Furnell of being “a tyrant and a bully who used his position to browbeat his subordinates”. The dean introduced a “spend, spend, spend” culture, he said.

Richard Bundy, the head verger for 25 years, said: “Raymond Furnell was unpleasant to an awful lot of people, including me, and I left with sadness in my heart.”

Sheila Thornton, the dean’s secretary for six years, said he had created “a deeply unpleasant working atmosphere”.

The former dean refused to discuss the criticism yesterday.

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