CHURCH bosses have revealed plans to close St Matthew's in Barrow as a report reveals the congregation is made up of just 25 people.

Commissioners within the Church of England have published a draft report which proposes the closure of St Matthew's Church in Highfield Road with a final decision set to be made by July 24.

The church has been a popular choice for funeral services, given its proximity to Barrow's crematorium and cemetery, and crematorium services were held at the church when Barrow Borough Council closed the cemetery's service hall for refurbishment.

A number of high-profile funerals have taken place at St Matthew's, including well-known singer Bobby Rigg and special constable David Platt, which featured a number of touching tributes from his former colleagues.

The church's proposal states that "the future of St Matthew's Church has been in doubt for some years" and adds: "St Matthew's was built in the 1960s and has proved to have serious structural problems.

"The church's finances have been insufficient to cover the major repairs and refurbishment... the parish offer has also had to be significantly reduced."

The report states the congregation has fallen to just 25 "with few people in the parish attending for regular worship".

St Francis, in Schneider Road, will become the new parish church, under the proposals and the parish will be renamed as 'The Parish of St Francis with St Matthew'.

The report concludes: "Membership of God's family is not determined by the loss of a building.

"The church is beyond buildings, it is about people."

Anyone who would like to object, or comment on, the proposed closure of St Matthew's Church, can email katie.lowe@churchofengland.org or call 020 7898 1737 by July 24.