A religious symbol is keeping an elderly nun out of a personal care home.

The traditional habit worn by nuns has been deemed as a religious symbol, reports Premier.

A nun, in her 70s, applied for a room in the Résidences Autonomuie, a local care home in Vesoul.

Social workers in eastern France wrote to the nun, after receiving her application, and wrote in the letter that she would be eligible for a spot in the care home if she removed her veil.

"In order to respect signs of secularism, any ostentatious signs of belonging to a religious community cannot be accepted," says the letter.

The mayor of Vasoul, Alain Chrétien, now says the social workers made an "error in interpretation" of secular values as the ban on religious symbols applied only applies to government employees, including care home workers.

He promises to overturn the decision as the ban does not apply to residents.