Villagers' hopes of building a new church have been dealt a fresh blow.

St Paul's in Denholme has been closed since early last year when it became unsafe because of dry rot in the roof, with services being held instead at the Mechanics Institute.

The vicar, the Reverend Liz Thomas, has been looking for possible sites in the village to build a new church and has issued a plea for more people and more money at services.

She has been told that there is no immediate prospect of the Diocese of Bradford lending the church the money it needs.

Following her latest meeting with diocesan officials, Mrs Thomas has told parishioners that St Paul's cannot apply for grants or loans because it is debt to the diocese.

St Paul's originally set up a Renewal Fund to raise £250,000 to repair the roof of the 152-year-old church but the parochial church council scrapped that plan when the bid raised only £4,000 by its target date.

Mrs Thomas emphasised that the money left in the fund, which now stands at £10,000, would not be spent elsewhere.

Mrs Thomas said congregation numbers had dwindled to an average of only about 25, while collections have also declined. "We need more people and more money," said Mrs Thomas.

"I've heard people saying there isn't a church any more in Denholme. But a church is the people not the building. The message is that if the people of Denholme want a new church they have to show it through their presence at church services and their money."

But she was hopeful that the church's financial position would ease during 1999.

She said the church's share allocation, which is the amount each parish has to pay annually to the diocese, had been substantially reduced for 1999.

"For last year it was £10,000 but for this year it will be £6,000 which we should be able to pay without too many problems. As soon as we begin to manage our finances properly then we can begin looking at a new church."

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