A stained glass picture of Jesus in a migrant boat will replace a church’s window featuring Edward Colston, the slave trader, after a religious body approved the decision.

The Anglican St Mary Redcliffe church in Bristol made the decision to remove four stained glass panels dedicated to Colston two years ago after the toppling of his statue.

Having temporarily replaced the original depicting the slave trader, members of the public were invited to submit new designs as part of a competition.

Permission has now been granted by the Consistory Court of the Diocese of Bristol - a body founded in the 16th-century that once dealt with offences including sexual immorality, blasphemy and clerical misdemeanours - to proceed with the replacement.

In his judgment, diocese chancellor, Justin Gau, said that “the historical behaviour of (St Mary Redcliffe) in excusing the life of Colston… is a sin,” Bristol24/7 reports.

“To encourage parishioners to look at a memorial to a slave trader and to be encouraged to ‘Go thou and do likewise’ is not only grotesque but entirely contrary to the Gospel command to love one another,” Gau added.