PARISHIONERS at a Blackburn church destroyed by arsonists have spoken of their delight that a replacement will be built.

Fire ripped through St Anne's Church, in France Street, in 2000. The blaze was started in three separate areas and tore through the roof.

Parishioners were told construction will start in 2003 and if all goes well, the new building will be finished in time for next Christmas.

Many not only remembered the devastating fire two years ago but some recalled the construction of the original church in 1925.

The new church will be built on the same grounds with the front being used for services for around 200 people, and the rear as a community centre.

Previous capacity was 800 but Father Jim McCartney said the smaller capacity was due to the drop in the number of homes in the parish since the original was built.

The new plans were announced earlier this year to keep the church, but at a cost of £500,000. Some £300,000 of that will come from insurance, with the remainder being made up by the Roman Catholic Salford diocese and Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Mary Walmsley, 92, of Blackburn, said she was a young girl when the church was built.

She said: "I remember when it opened in 1925, I was 15, I remember the procession to lay the foundation stone.

"It was really upsetting to see the old church burn down, it's part of a lot of people's lives. But all we can do is accept what happens and get on with it.

"I am very excited about the new church and hope they build it soon."

Joan Entwistle, 72, of Blackburn, recalled the day that the church caught fire.

"I got a phone call at 4.30am telling me about it. I got up and walked down to see it, I could see the flames from quite a distance, I was very upset.

"It was an awful time, we came back about 8.30am and went inside the church, it was horrendous.

"But hopes our hopes are high and we should be in for Christmas next year."

Emma Charnley, 23, of Melville Drive, Blackburn, said she missed attending services in a church.

"We just want a church, it's nice to have everyone around you, with the statues and the pillars. We've been having services in the hall at St Anne's primary school ever since. It's okay there but it's just not the same.

"Attendances have dropped tremendously since the fire, for instance at the evening mass at 7pm we used to get about 100, now we get between ten and 20."

"We've been told about the delay again, we're not too sure why but we're told it will go up for the New Year next year, we hope so."

Barbara Booth, organiser of the church's children's group, said: "Who knows when the church will be built, we've been waiting for two years we just want it to happen.

"We've got used to having it in the school, but the old church was so beautiful with its mosaic and marble pillars, we really miss it."