Hundreds of graves in a century-old cemetery are to be looked after by church authorities after its heritage-listed chapel was sold to become a private house.

The 1828 building in Blackburn's New Row Methodist Burial Ground was put on the market in 2016.

The sale alarmed 76-year-old Barbara Robb whose grandmother is buried in the Heys Lane graveyard.

She contacted the Lancashire Telegraph with her concerns and now Reverend Stuart Smith, the superintendent minister for the West Pennine Moors Circuit, has given an assurance that no graves will be moved.

The chapel was built in 1828 and extended and upgraded several times later in the 19th Century.

The burial ground, which contains hundreds of graves, was the main graveyard for non-conformist churches in Blackburn and the surrounding area until the opening of the municipal Pleasington Cemetery.

Rev Smith - the minister of Lammack, Mellor, St Paul's and Wilpshire Methodist Churches - said: "The Methodist Church sold the chapel in 2016/17.

"We understand it has since been put back on the market. The chapel was sold with the expectation that it would be converted into a private dwelling.

"The burial ground was not part of the sale. It remains the property of the Methodist Church.

"Planning permission was granted for a change of use from a place of worship to a dwelling house.

"The original sale made clear that permissions would be required to move any of the headstones and grave furniture.

"The circuit did previously explore doing this with a potential buyer following the procedure set out by the national church.

"Following consultation, it became clear that it would not be appropriate to grant permission to move grave furniture. No purchaser has requested permission.

"The Methodist church will protect and look after the graves. There are no plans to move them.

"If at some time in the future they did need to be moved, a suitable new resting place for them would be found."

The Grade II listed chapel has a half-acre garden to the sides and rear of the property which has right-of-way pedestrian access to the graveyard.

Mrs Robb said: "I am absolutely pleased the graves will be protected. I am thrilled they will be looked after.

"My grandmother, who lost her husband in The Battle of the Somme, was married and is buried there along with some other of our relatives."