PARISHIONERS are putting together the final touches to a report on the future of the Catholic churches in Hyndburn.

Earlier this year the Bishop of Salford, the Rt Rev Terence Brain, called a crisis meeting amid fears over the crumbling state of some of the church buildings.

The future of four churches in particular -- Sacred Heart, St Anne's and St Joseph's in Accrington and St Mary's in Oswaldtwistle -- were the main discussion point.

And it was revealed that the cost of repair to Sacred Heart, which has extensive dry rot problems, and St Anne's, which has a long-standing roof problem, could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds to repair.

As a result of the meeting, a working group was formed with representatives from each of the churches and Dean David Lupton.

The group has had several meetings to discuss the possible way forward. A spokesman for the bishop said today: "The group is now drawing up a report which will be submitted to the bishop in the coming week. I cannot say at this stage what is in that report but it will be considered by the bishop."

Possible solutions which were discussed earlier in the year included the closure of some of the buildings and a reduction in the number of priests.

But it was stressed that the whole Salford Diocese was undergoing a similar examination not just the churches in the Hyndburn area.

The only thing certain about the Hyndburn churches was that the attached schools were in no danger of closure.