THE Church of England’s Blackburn Diocese to set to be the home for six parishes that previously sat under the Diocese of Bradford.

The parishes were set to move as part of changes to create a new ‘super-diocese’ of West Yorkshire and The Dales, consisting of the dioceses of Bradford, Ripon and Leeds and Wakefield.

The Blackburn Diocesan Synod met in April and, having reviewed a report by the Dioceses Commission which recommended they should move into the Blackburn Diocese, voted by a large majority to welcome Hurst Green, Mitton, Waddington, Grindleton, Bolton by Bowland and Gisburn.

Archdeacon of Blackburn, The Venerable John Hawley said: “The parishes we will welcome into Blackburn Diocese will strengthen and add to the fabric of the diocese in many ways, particularly in relation to rural affairs and church growth in rural areas.”