A FORMER chapel building in the middle of a cemetery is now up for sale.

Grade-II listed Astley Bridge Chapel has been put on the market as a ‘commercial development’ at an unlisted price.

The church was built in 1883 but has been out of use for a number of years and was damaged internally by fire in July 2017. Inside, the ceiling is being supported by scaffolding.

Over the years, a group led by resident Warren Fox has attempted to bring the building back into public use.

Mr Fox delivered a petition to the building's owners, Bolton Council, asking for the site to be converted into a library and education centre but was told that the plans were “not viable”.

Following the news that the chapel was up for sale, Mr Fox said: “I’d like to see the new owners bring this historic building back to life, so it can be enjoyed by future generations. Hopefully a buyer can be found so it can be saved.”

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: “The Chapel has not been used since 1994 but the cost of continuing to maintain this Grade-II listed building places significant pressure on limited public resources.

“We have decided to put the building up for sale to test market interest and secure the long-term future of the chapel.

“Any potential buyer will need to show that their plans are appropriate for a building located in the middle of cemetery and that they have a viable building maintenance plan.”

Find out more about the sale here.