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A retired priest who married a male model more than 50 years his junior to make a stance against the church has split with his partner.

Philip Clements, who was once a parish priest in Eastry, near Sandwich, wed Florin Marin, 24, at a low-key ceremony in Ramsgate in April aged 78.

But just five months on, Mr Clements, now 79, found himself homeless after a “rollercoaster” start to married life in his husband's native Romania.

'Pretty miserable'

The pensioner had sold his house to buy a new apartment for the pair in Romanian capital Bucharest, but said he found himself lonely when Mr Marin spent time with younger friends at nightclubs.

The pair had been calling on the Church of England to change its rules that bar clergymen from same-sex marriage.

Speaking of his decision to split with his new husband in September, Mr Clements said: “It’s absolutely been a bit of a rollercoaster.

“I found the language difficult, had no friends of my own, he goes out quite a lot and the flat was too far from the town centre.

'When he was thinking of going to bed, I was thinking of going to nightclubs'

“I was pretty bored, and feeling pretty miserable.

“Florin and I would argue, and my friends were begging me to come back to England.”

He added: “When I was thinking of going to bed, he was thinking of going out to nightclubs”.

Despite the setbacks, Mr Clements, who now lives in his friend’s annexe near Eastry, is in regular contact with his ex-partner and hopes one day they may be together again.

He went on: “I came back in September, knowing I had nowhere to go. I had signed over the flat to Florin, because I wanted him to have something when I died.

“I found myself homeless, but then my friends came to the rescue.

“I did virtually have a breakdown, but thankfully I came out of all of that with the help of doctors and friends.”

Money gone

Asked whether he was worried about his younger partner meeting someone else, he said: “I wouldn’t be surprised if he met someone else, but he has assured me he is not interested in anyone.

“He knows I now have limited resources, but he does not want to be with me because of my money.

“I thought at one time he was attracted by my money, but now that’s gone I have had to start afresh.

“I was shocked and disappointed I had allowed this to happen.

'We did rush into things'

“But I have now reached a point in health where I am much more energised, and much more optimistic.

“We did rather rush into things before, but I’m not going to rush into anything now.”

Clergy are currently barred from same sex marriage but are allowed a civil partnership - providing it is a celibate one.

Speaking at the time of the marriage, Mr Clements said he wanted the church to change its rules, saying: "I think a lot of clergy must be with partners, or wanting to be with them, but they are stopped from being themselves by the rules of the church."

Although they have not divorced, they are no longer taking on each other’s surnames.