Bishop backs street tourism call

The bishop urged his flock to visit the "back streets"

Affluent Anglicans should take up "alternative tourism" to the back streets of Lancashire, the Bishop of Blackburn has said.

He said rich parishes "might spend an afternoon in the back-streets of Blackpool, Burnley or Preston... using local people as guides".

The Rt Rev Bishop Nicholas Reade said this was the best way to understand his church's latest anti poverty report.

The Faithful Cities report is due to be debated next month.

"Try some 'alternative tourism' - swap statistics, hear the stories, learn the issues," the bishop said.

The report will be debated by the Church of England's General Synod - its parliament - in York in July.