A SHOCKED community is reeling after being told the church at the heart of it will close.

Our Lady of Victories (OLV), in Keighley, will shut within weeks as part of a parish reorganisation.

One distraught worshipper at the West Lane church, on the edge of the Guard House estate, said many people broke down in tears when the announcement was made.

The building, which has been a church for more than 70 years, and its grounds will be sold off.

The move follows a decision to amalgamate OLV, which has more than 170 worshippers, with St Anne’s.

Mrs Margaret Ward, a member of the congregation at OLV for 46 years, said: “It was a great shock for the community to learn that our lovely little church was to be closed and sold.

“It is such a welcoming community and my friends here have supported myself and my family through some very difficult times. We understand that there is a real shortage of priests and a small community such as ours isn’t viable, but we had hoped for a mass centre to remain.”

Another member, who asked not to be named, said the news had come as a massive blow.

“A lot of people are very upset about this – there have been many tears,” she said.

The Bishop of Leeds, the Right Rev Marcus Stock, said the restructuring was designed to “strengthen the life of the Catholic Church in Keighley”.

He accepted that the closure might cause distress for some parishioners with strong affection for the premises, but added: “It is important to remember that the vibrancy and life of the Catholic community at Our Lady of Victories Church does not – and should not – depend on the physical stones of the building but on the living stones, the individuals and families who worship there. The Keighley parishes have already been working together successfully over the past few years and it’s hoped the active and enthusiastic community at Our Lady of Victories can share its gifts with St Anne’s to strengthen the witness of the church in their local areas as they face the future together.”

He said the neighbouring OLV Primary School would remain a focus of Catholic life in the area.