TWO gay landlords who courted controversy by holding a "marriage" in their pub bow out of town this week.

But they insisted bigots have not driven them away.

Jimmi and Ray Holden, who have run The Queen's in Eastgate, Accrington, for three years, shocked Methodists throughout the town when they persuaded a minister to conduct a blessing at their pub in August.

The couple, who have run The Queen's for three years, have now decided to move -- and have thanked the public for being so open minded, despite admitting they have been subjected to abuse from some quarters.

Scottish Jimmi, who ran two other pubs in the town, said: "Basically, we have reached a point where we want to move on and do something different.

"We have decided the pressure of running this place isn't worth it and fancy a different challenge somewhere else. We may try another pub in East Lancashire or go elsewhere, we don't know.

"Our first plan is to go to India for a month's holiday where we will decide what will happen next."

Publicity surrounding their unusual blessing, believed to be the first of its kind in Accrington, led to the couple appearing on national television. It also led to a probe by the Methodist Church in Hyndburn to find out which minister conducted the service.

He isn't believed to be local.

The pub is being taken over by Phil Miller, who chairs the Accrington Clarets, the area's branch of the Burnley FC Supporters Association.

The group had been based at The Queen's for a number of years until the blessing, which members said led to them becoming the target of banter at football matches.

But Jimmi said: "With the exception of some small minded individuals, everyone has been supportive towards us.

"We don't regret what we did, because we are not ashamed of who we are. We felt it was much better to be open and honest rather than sneak away to somewhere which wasn't our home for the blessing.

"We feel what we did has helped some people. Judging by the letters we have received, it has helped people come to terms with who they are.

"We are now working with Phil to train him up so he knows what he is doing and we wish him all the good luck in the world and we would like to thank him and everyone else for their support."

Phil said: "I have never run a pub before but it is a challenge I am relishing.

"It will take a lot of hard work on my part but I am looking forward to it.