ACCRINGTON's parishioners could be left with only one Church of England church in a radical shake-up being considered by clergy leaders.

If the plan gets the go-ahead Accrington deanery, which covers 22 churches in Accrington, Altham, Baxenden, Church, Clayton-le-Moors, Haslingden and Huncoat, will replace Accrington's seven churches with a new one. Those in the outlying towns will remain open.

Blackburn Diocese secretary Michael Wedgeworth said the plans were being considered because it was too expensive to maintain the large, old buildings, which he said were sometimes unsuitable for today's needs.

The churches earmarked for closure include: Christ Church in Christ Church Square; St Andrew's in Swiss Street; St James' in Cannon Street; St John's in Queens Road, St Mary Magdalen's in Devonshire Street; St Paul's in Barnfield Street; and St Peter's in Richmond Street.

Archdeacon the Ven John Hawley, of Blackburn's CE diocese, met with the area's parish leaders on Wednesday October 15 to discuss this radical proposal and a number of other options.

The other options included leaving things as they are and merging churches, although which churches were to be merged and the timescale had yet to be finalised.

The news of the plans came just days after the Roman Catholic diocese announced it would also reduce and merge churches because of dwindling clergy and congregations.

Mr Wedgeworth said: "There has been a certain amount of anxiety but it is not true that any decisions have been made.

"It is to do with the costs of maintaining very expensive buildings and the fact that sometimes very large buildings are unsuitable for the type of activities we do." Although he said there was a slight reduction in congregation numbers - the weekly figure in the diocese stands at 22,000 - this was not the reason for the changes.

"In a recent survey of the diocese's 250 parishes the majority experienced some decline, but 70 showed some growth."

He also said the diocese was not experiencing problems of falling clergy numbers like the Roman Catholic church because they had some unpaid clergy.

The Rev Kevin Logan, of Christ Church, said: "I think all the churches are affected one way or another, if not by closure by re-organisation.

"It's something that has to happen and we welcome it.

"Out of it will come a fitter, leaner and more efficient church."