SOAP favourite Jack Duckworth is not just pulling pints on Sunday nights - he's pulling congregations away from churches.

The Rev Brian Stevenson, 63, claims some people are more interested in watching Coronation Street than going to church. The top soap has two slots on Sunday.

Mr Stevenson, of St Silas' Church, Blackburn, said: "Television is a great magnet. It first started in the 1960s when the Forsyth Saga was screened and church numbers dropped off. Coronation Street is just another soap opera for people. It is happy hour now on Sundays, with the afternoon omnibus and the 7.30pm programme."

Only around 30 people now attend the Sunday evening services at St Silas'. "It is fine at the morning service, but numbers have dropped in the evening. Sunday is no longer the day it use to be.

"It is not so bad if the service is between 6 and 7pm because people can get back in time for Coronation Street and the Antiques Roadshow, which are very popular."

Mr Stevenson admitted his dislike for soap operas. He prefers to watch the news and comedy favourites like Porridge and Dad's Army.

The vicar added: "Some people will watch television from early in the morning until the last dot on the screen disappears. It is very sad.

"We seem to have lost the tradition of celebrating and enjoying the great festivals of the church. People are so busy watching soap operas that they forget or, perhaps, don't even want to know about much else."

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