The heartbroken family of an award-winning quilter has had to scrap plans for a church funeral and instead hold a small graveside gathering as a result of the coronavirus.

After Rosemary Marozzi, from Wingham near Canterbury, died on March 12, it was hoped that dozens of loved ones would fill St Vincent’s in Littlebourne to pay their respects.

But following the government-imposed lockdown, the Church of England announced that ceremonies can only take place at crematoriums or gravesides with immediate family in attendance.

This has reduced the popular 81-year-old’s funeral to an interment that will only be attended by her three children and their partners on Monday, April 6.

Her son, writer and historian Justin Marozzi, said: “She wanted hymns, different types of music and for it to be at St Vincent’s.

“It would have been a really big funeral; who knows, perhaps it would have filled the church because lots of people would have liked to say goodbye.

“But rather than being in the church, it will be in the graveyard only. It will be a completely slimmed-down funeral.

“Everything has been a challenge. It’s even proving difficult to get flowers; the florist’s supplies are limited to a few varieties.”

Funerals were exempt from the bans on gatherings of more than two people and public events, such as weddings, on March 23.

The Church of England’s guidance also states that those in attendance must maintain social distancing and not hold any wakes or gatherings after the service.

And Mr Marozzi, who lives in Norfolk, says it will be “very strange” not embracing his siblings, who will be travelling from Brighton and London, at the funeral next week.

“Likewise, with the vicar, we won’t even shake his hand,” the 49-year-old added.

“I think it will be a very short service as well because things have been curtailed so much. There will be a very brief reading, an address from the vicar and that will be it really.

“I suspect we’ll all go back to our respective homes afterwards. There’ll be no hanging around for lunch or the things you’d usually expect to do after the funeral.”

Public Health England has also published new guidelines urging faith leaders to restrict the number of mourners so they can ensure each of them will stand two metres apart.

Despite having to have a shrunken-down and truncated ceremony, Mr Marozzi says he and his family refuse to be disheartened by the circumstances.

“None of us are hugely downhearted about it because it’s out of our hands,” he explained.

“I think my mum would have probably smiled at the whole thing and made a little joke.

“We’ve got to do what we can and regard this as the first ceremony, with the bigger, more joyful event later on.”

'She was a fantastic mother and grandmother'

Rosemary spent more than 40 years living in Woodnesborough, Littlebourne and Wingham after moving to Kent with her husband, Silvio.

The mum-of-three, who had seven grandchildren, has been described as loving and family-oriented by loved ones.

But she was best known for her quilting, having supplied handmade patchworks to the likes of Liberty London and Harrods in the 1980s.

"She was an award-winning quilter," Mr Marozzi said.

"She also co-founded the Oast Quilters, a large group of people, mostly ladies, who quilt in Kent."

Rosemary was widowed following Silvio's death in 2002.

She was diagnosed with stage-four cancer last summer, but managed to defy doctors' expectations by delivering a talk to an audience of fellow quilters at Simon Langton Boys at the end of January.

"We didn’t think she’d be remotely able to do this," Mr Marozzi added.

"She had to deliver it in a wheelchair because she was so unwell, but she managed to hold it all together and got a standing ovation.

"That was her swansong because she held on for that."

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