CHURCH leaders are appealing to a Preston family, who turned their backs on the Catholic Church, to return to the fold where they will be welcomed with open arms.

The Parkes, from Bamber Bridge, had been regular churchgoers and faithful parishioners of St Mary's, in Brownedge Lane, until two years ago.

Margaret Parkes claims she turned to the church during her hour of need after discovering her youngest daughter Rachel, nine, had a rare genetic disorder.

She said she asked for help in raising funds for research into her daughter's illness -- fibodysplsia ossivans progressiva (FOP) -- but claims the church refused point blank.

Rachel was diagnosed with FOP when she was four-years-old. It is a condition that means all her soft tissue, ligaments, muscles and tendons will eventually turn to bone.

Initially doctors thought the child had cancer but later changed their diagnosis and told the family she had the incurable FOP disease -- a condition that affects one in every two million people.

Margaret, of Brownedge Close, said: "All my family were baptised in that church, I got married there and I have helped many times with their own fund-raising -- I could not believe it when we were refused help. I haven't been to church since.

"Rachel has now lost all movement in her upper body -- her back is just a sheet of bone and by the time she reaches her teens it will spread to her legs.

"Our only hope is a research centre in Oxford but they require £70,000 a year and don't receive any government funding."

She added: "Prayer is no good to me now -- I need cash so I can help my little girl."

But Father Aiden Turner, who is the national chaplain for the charitable Catholic organisation, the Faith and Light group, has assured Margaret that support is available within the Catholic Church and he is keen to do what he can for the troubled family.

He said: "I am sorry that this family feel the church has let them down -- it is our job to offer support and sympathy and to befriend people and I sincerely hope these people can find their way back into our welcoming arms."

Father Aiden said the Catholic Church was a great supporter of charitable deeds but added that certain parishes were overwhelmed with requests to raise funds.

He said: "From what I can gather the family feel they have had a bad response from their parish priest, who could have been very busy raising his own funds -- in Lancaster alone we have a £5 million debt to look after."

He advised the Parkes to contact the Vincent St Paul's society and the Knights of St Columbia -- two catholic organisations that help with fund-raising.

The current priest at St Mary's in Bamber Bridge refused to comment.

However spokesman for the diocese of Salford, Father Michael Walsh, said: "There is great concern and sympathy from members of any church where there is sickness particularly where a child is involved.

"In this case, agencies, groups and individuals connected with the church and the wider community have made numerous offers of help and continue to give support. A decision to sever links with the church is the responsibility of the individual."