SERVICES are being held at an Addingham church where parishioners feared they would never hear Mass again.

Our Lady and English Martyrs Church closed at the end of last June with the Bishop of Leeds, the Right Reverend Marcus Stock, citing the lack of available priests as the reason.

In his letter to the congregation Bishop Marcus had said Mass would no longer be celebrated at the church after June 30, 2019 as it was being amalgamated with the parish of Sacred Heart, in Ilkley.

But the church’s former Acting Parish Priest, Father Kevan Driver, has now stepped in to lead a morning service on the first Friday of each month.

The opening service was held at 10am on Friday, February 7 and attracted nearly 50 people. It was followed by a coffee morning which has become a regular, monthly event since the end of last year.

Parishioner John Lynott of Low Mill Village, Addingham, said: “It is nice that we have the First Friday Masses when at first we feared there would never be a service in the church again.

“We also have the monthly coffee mornings and it helps keep our community together. And, of course, people from Ilkley and beyond are welcome to attend.

“The parishioners now go to Mass at Sacred Heart in Ilkley, Silsden or Skipton. From what I have heard, they have been made very welcome.

“Monsignor Kieran Heskin in Ilkley has been really good and I know people from Addingham are now involved with the parish there.

“But it is nice to keep our own presence in Addingham, too.

“It is a beautiful church, we all love it and it is sad to walk past it and see the doors locked.”

The long-term future of Our Lady and English Martyrs, meanwhile, is subject to a wider review by the Leeds Diocese which is facing major challenges - as Catholic churches across the country are - in trying to replace retiring priests.

For now, at least, however the church is continuing to play an active role in the village.

Mr Lynott added: “Parishioners are still involved with Addingham Churches Together, involving all the faiths in the village and we will still be taking part in various events, especially at Easter.

“Our Lady and English Martyrs means a lot to us and the bigger community in Addingham.” The church dates back to 1927 and had a presbytery built in 1981.