GROUPS which came together to form Dalton Community Church will celebrate the 150th anniversary of first service to be held at the base in Market Street.

It was completed in 1869 as a Congregationalist chapel and became part of the United Reformed Church in 1972.

In 2016 its followers joined forces with Dalton Methodists.

An exhibition of pictures and memorabilia is being organised from 9.30am on Saturday, March 2 and a celebration service is being held from 10.30am on Sunday March 24.

Victorian mining families came from all over Britain to make a new life in Dalton and brought their own brand of Christianity with them, including Welsh Calvinists.

A Furness trade directory for 1882 notes that the Congregationalists had 174 members in Dalton.

The Congregationist Chapel had seats for 300 people.

The Wesleyan Methodists had 225 members and the Primitive Methodists had 110.