A CHURCH devastated by fire more than 12 months ago will rise from the ashes.

And Father James McCartney said his plans for St Anne's RC Church are to turn into a "centre of reconciliation."

The 80-year-old church, France Street, Blackburn, was gutted when a blaze ripped through it in Christmas 2000.

Arsonists were blamed for the fire which broke out in three separate areas within the church and tore through the roof.

Last year Roman Catholic leaders said the church would have to be demolished although have since decided it can be saved, at the cost of £500,000.

And Father McCartney, who set up the THOMAS project to help drug addicts and the homeless, said he wanted to take the church in a new direction.

Father McCartney, author of a paper on churches entitled Are We Ready For a Change?, said: "It is my intention, and I don't know if the diocese think the same way, to make the church a centre of reconciliation.

"My idea is for it to be a place of forgiveness and where people can go to meditate about life - A place which is open throughout the day and a place that is available to everyone, serving the parish, the deanery and the whole town."

Although spared from being pulled down altogether, the church will not be built in its original state.

The main area where the fire broke out will still have to come down, reducing the size from holding 800 to 200.

But Father McCartney said his congregation, who had to have services in a nearby primary school, was delighted that the church would not be demolished.

He said: "They have had to go through a difficult time. First there was the fire itself, and then they thought the church would have to be knocked down.

"They are all quite excited about the future as am I. I'm excited for the people and I'm excited about the possibilities open to us."

The plans are currently being finalised before the work is put out to tender.