Historic church goes up for sale

No price has been put on St John's Church

A historic church which has been empty for 20 years has been put up for sale.

The Bishop of Stafford, the Rt Revd Gordon Mursell, is set to put for sale boards up at St John's Church in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.

The "spiritual care of the people of Hanley has long since passed" to five other churches, a spokesman for the Diocese of Lichfield said.

He said extensive efforts were made to find another use for the church, which is offered without a price tag.

The law places an obligation on church officials to find the most suitable alternative use for redundant churches.

If no alternative use can now be found, the church, which was built about 1790, could be demolished.