A NEW dawn is ready to break at a Darwen church as construction of its new building nears completion.

Central United Reformed Church on Duckworth Street has been completely rebuilt over the past few years after a mammoth fund-raising effort.

The Rev Geoff Tolley, who has been there for 15 years, said: "All the groups that use the church have contributed to the cause. It has been fantastic.

In 1989, Central United Reformed Church was a large building that dominated all around it. However, there were many problems with the structure and a lot of money would have had to have been spent on it just to bring it up to scratch.

But it was a grade two listed building and not a lot could be done.

It was decided to demolish the church and start again, and permission was granted in 1995.

It was then the fund-raising started.

Mr Tolley said construction was on course to finish in early April. The church will be a self-contained unit with its own car park.

The worship area will sit about 120 people with the church hall, already in use, able to fit a similar number.

There will also be a memorial garden in which the ashes of people that are cremated can be scattered.

A stained glass window has been bought by the First Darwen Scout Group.

A number of other windows have been bought by some of the 400 people who use the church. Work on the gardens starts today.