SPRING Day, this March, saw the marking of 60 years since I was born in Blackburn and Christened in the Church of St John the Evangelist, Blackburn.

Walking by there recently, I was surprised by a lovely display of daffodils that had been planted by the council. The building is not a Church any more, although it has excellent acoustics.

It caused me to reflect that during my lifetime over 20 churches have closed in Blackburn. Some of them, three decades ago were flourishing.

Looking at www.statistics.gov.uk the census of 2001 yielded a voluntary survey of beliefs in England and Wales in which 71.6 per cent identified themselves as Christian. This was surprising as there appears to be so much anti-Christian sentiment in the media and in public conversation.

People do not seem to be attending the churches in anything like the numbers indicated. This is no bar to Almighty God, who sees peoples hearts and minds and communicates effectively with them. If all were to attend the churches at once, we would likely not have enough buildings to house them.

I think that every home should have a King James version of the Bible, with clear and easy to read type with good cross referencing.

My thanks are due to the many people of Blackburn and good souls among my fellow country men and women and many nationalities throughout the world who have cheered me on my way.

DAVID FAIRHURST, Longsight Road, Clayton-le-Dale.