WORSHIPPERS are upset over plans to remove pews from an historic parish church.

The parochial church council (PCC) at St John The Baptist CE Church, Manchester Road, Baxenden, wants to remove the church's pews and replace them with chairs so that the building could be used for meetings and social events.

The PCC is set to apply to the Blackburn Diocese for permission to make the change at the church, which was built in the 1870s.

PCC secretary Dorothy Tattersall, said: "I know that quite a lot of parishioners are upset about this, especially the elderly, but they will get their say before anything happens.

"The idea is to make the church more flexible. It's not definite what things the church would be used for, but we are talking about social events, meetings and so on. We have a lounge area at the back of the church which is used for those sorts of things, but there would be more room in the church and the building would get aired more often."

One upset parishioner, who asked not to be named, said: "Everyone in Baxenden, not just regular churchgoers, should get a say in what happens because it is an historic church. It is not right. "The church is sometimes full at services, especially when the Scouts and Guides come along too, and if the pews go then fewer people will be able to sit down. I am worried that the pews will be bought up by collectors in China or Japan, and a piece of the village's history will be lost."

The man, who has been a parishioner for more than 10 years, said he was worried that if the church housed social events it would be setting itself in competition against the new community centre being planned by the Baxenden Community Forum group.

Mrs Tattersall said: "We have taken a decision to apply to the diocese for a faculty, which is the church's equivalent of planning permission. The decision was passed by a majority of the parochial church council.

"Before the diocese gives permission, it will put up notices and ask parishioners if they have any objections."

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