WARDENS at Barnoldswick's Gill Church have thought up a novel idea to help raise funds to provide disabled toilet facilities.

Churchwardens Elva Frankland and Robert Lambert have got their hands on an old toilet and hope parishioners will throw their loose change into it when they pay a visit to the church.

All the funds raised will go towards a project to provide new disabled toilet facilities near to the Coach House.

This building lies adjacent to the church and was renovated 18 months ago. It now provides a place for parishioners to have refreshments after church and somewhere for relatives to meet after visiting the graves of loved ones.

Mrs Frankland said: "The toilet block we've got at the moment is just a disgrace. It's just a little building with a toilet and a small hand basin.

"We've got such a lot of elderly people and disabled people who go down to Gill and it's humiliating for them to use that toilet.

"It's such a beautiful church, but it needs constant upkeep. The congregation is growing all the time and we want to keep the momentum going."

The total cost of the project is £7,000 and so far the congregation has raised approximately half of that.

A coffee morning in aid of the appeal is to be held at the OAP Centre in Frank Street, Barnoldswick, on Saturday April 12 from 10am to 12 noon.