A KEIGHLEY church which has shut as part of a parish reorganisation staged its final emotion-charged service yesterday.

The Bishop of Leeds, the Right Rev Marcus Stock, led mass at Our Lady of Victories (OLV).

Worshippers, some of whom had returned from outside the area specially for the gathering, packed into the West Lane building.

"It was a lovely mass but it was also extremely emotional for people," said Mrs Margaret Ward, a member of the congregation at OLV for 46 years.

"The Bishop spoke to everybody as they arrived in the church and as they left, offering kind words and reassurance.

"There was one lady there who had been at the first mass 77 years ago.

"It is the end of an era."

The community was left in shock when it was announced last month that the church, on the edge of the Guard House estate, would be closed and sold off.

It follows a decision to amalgamate OLV, which has more than 170 worshippers, with St Anne's.

A shortage of priests is at the centre of the move.

A minibus, operated by volunteer drivers, is being provided to take parishioners without their own transport to St Anne's Church in Keighley for mass each Sunday.

Keighley West district councillor Cath Bacon said it had been hoped the closure decision would be reversed.

She and fellow ward councillor Adrian Farley met parish priest Father Dennis Cassidy to discuss the issue.

But she added: "I am pleased the Church has recognised the difficulties some parishioners may experience getting to St Anne's and decided to provide transport.

"I still believe that people should have the freedom to worship where they wish, but the closure has happened and we have got to make the best of a bad job."

Cllr Bacon stressed that OLV Primary School, which neighbours the church, will operate as normal.

"There have been rumours that the school is closing but that is simply not true," she said.

"Headteacher John Devlin is continuing to do a brilliant job there."

The Right Rev Stock said the restructuring was designed to "strengthen the life of the Catholic Church in Keighley".

The reorganisation has also seen St Joseph's in Keighley and Our Lady of Lourdes, Haworth, join forces – but with no closure of premises.