WORSHIPPERS have finally been handed the keys to a £280,000 building -- and moved out of a nearby undertakers!

The 30-strong congregation at Chatburn Methodist Church are ready to move from their makeshift place of worship to the Downham Road building.

Funded by grants from Methodist Church headquarters and by local fund-raising, is single-storey with state-of-the-art facilities for the whole community.

It includes a worship area, two other multi-purpose rooms for 40 to 50 people, a kitchen and an office as well as full disabled access and disabled toilets.

There have been a few surprises during the demolition and construction of the church, which began in March, including finding a 119-year-old time capsule.

The previous church was built on four levels and would have cost £500,000 to refurbish.

The Rev Chris Cheeseman, superintendent minister of the Clitheroe Methodist Circuit, is delighted with how it looks. He said: "The building is complete, and the decorators are in now. It is going to be well used, and we are sending a survey around the village to see what facilities people want to see operating."

The church will be used by organisations including pre-school groups, youth groups and a women's fellowship. It will also support adult learning classes with the help of Accrington and Rossendale College.

The time capsule tradition has been retained with the placing of a 2002 time capsule, including a copy of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph and a photograph of the present congregation, under the new building's foundations.