Glastonbury Abbey has been forced to temporarily cover the locally famous 'Egg Stone' due to inappropriate use believed to be linked to fertility rites.

The Egg Stone, located near the Abbot's Kitchen within the grounds of the Abbey, has been subject to a spate of unsuitable activities that have necessitated daily cleanups of blood, presenting health risks for the Abbey staff.

The Egg Stone is a prominent historical artefact within the Abbey grounds, believed by some researchers to be a former Pagan shrine known as an Omphalos.

An Omphalos, in ancient times, represented the great Goddess and was considered the equivalent of the Holy of Holies, symbolising the source of life itself. The stone's shape is thought to mirror the female birth cone or cervix.

A number of alternative websites claim that today Neo-Pagans continue to hold fertility rites at the Egg Stone.

In an effort to protect this significant artefact and ensure the respectful enjoyment of the Abbey grounds for all visitors, the Abbey administration say they have been forced to cover the Egg Stone temporarily.

In a post on Facebook, a spokesperson wrote: "It is wholly unacceptable and a health risk for members of our team to have to clean bodily fluids (in this case, blood) from this stone on a daily basis.

"Anybody seen doing this on the egg stone or any part of the abbey will be asked to leave the grounds and banned from future entry.

"It is disrespectful to the site and the experience of the site for other visitors."

Glastonbury Abbey is one of the most important historic abbeys in Britain and has been the focal point of myth, legend, and important historical events for almost 2,000 years.