A CHURCH at the centre of a 'Save Our Spire' campaign is to close.

The congregation of St James's has met in a converted engineering works on March Street, Stoneyholme, since the original church building, dating back to 1849, was demolished in 1966.

The landmark spire on the original Bathesda Street building was left but it too faces demolition as part of the £12.5m redevelopment of Curzon Street.

About 100 protesters gathered the spire to call for planners to change their minds and retain the feature, but by coincidence dwindling congregations mean the church is set to shut.

Rural Dean, the Rev Brian Swallow said: "We have to face up to the reality that members themselves cannot maintain everything connected with the church. "The number of parishioners who live in the parish is in single figures although the congregation is about 30.

"They are very loyal to the church and many have been attending since before it moved to Stoneyholme but realistically we have to accept there is no future life for St James's."

Mr Swallow said the matter was with the Privy Counci and no date for closure had been fixed.

St James's is a joint benefice with St Andrew's at Duke Bar where Canon Bryan Richardson is retiring this weekend.

Although sad to see Canon Richardson leave, Mr Swallow was pleased to announce the new vicar at St Andrew's would be licensed in October.

The Rev Peter Strickland-Hapgood has been serving St Thomas with St Jude's, Blackburn, since 1990. Another Blackburn vicar, the Rev Peter Grierson, who has been at St Luke's since 1989, will take over at St Matthew's, Burnley, in August.

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