A MINISTER has joined a transatlantic research project in a bid to prove his church's connections with one of the Pilgrim Fathers.

Families across Lancashire are being asked to examine their roots and test their links to Mayflower mariner Myles Standish - through a free DNA test.

The history challenge comes as the parish of St Laurence's Church, Chorley, drafts plans to celebrate its links, in 2005, to Myles Standish by marking the 350th anniversary of the signing of his will.

Standish was one of the Pilgrim Fathers who set sail for the new land of America in 1642, but has always been thought to have originated from the Isle of Man.

But there a number of obvious links to the Chorley area, including monuments in the church bearing the family crest. There is also an area outside Chorley referred to as the Isle of Man.

The Rector of St Laurence, the Rev Dr John Cree, formerly rector at Immanuel C of E Church, Feniscowles, Blackburn, said: "Myles is claimed as one of Chorley's sons and we are confident that the link is there. In doing some groundwork on this we have contacted people in New England and received a letter from the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.

"The Society revealed it was developing a cutting edge project asking members of Mayflower families to submit swab tests for help in identifying the home parishes of Mayflower families whose background is unknown or unproven."

The society is appealing for people with the surname Standish and a straight male line back to the original Standish to help their research testing for a DNA match.

And they have offered to send a swab test to people who are interested at the society's expense.

The parish is also hoping that the mayor of Duxbury, the town in America named by Standish, and which has the same name as an area of Chorley, will be visiting Lancashire during special celebrations in 2005.

Dr Cree added: "I would be delighted to hear from any Standish family members in Lancashire about this and I will then make the necessary contacts with those involved the USA.

"We have got a Standish crypt here where the family are buried and could seek permission to have DNA taken from the remains of the crypt, but we don't want to do that."

The information on the Lancashire DNA link is particularly important as a rival claim to be the birthplace of Myles was made by the Isle of Man in the mid-20th Century.

Anyone wishing to contact The Rev Dr John Cree can ring 01257 263114.