Two men and a woman were arrested after being caught in the act of taking erotic photographs in a cemetery in Florence, Italian media report.

The three were reported by a citizen who was visiting the cemetery and was appalled by the scene.

The woman was dressed as a nun and was being photographed in provocative poses on tombs, in one instance also lying down on one of them, the reports said.

Police officers who turned up on the scene confiscated the photo camera and arrested the three persons. They are expected to be charged with vilifying tombs and obscene acts in public.