A GREAT Sankey church has completed the sale of its hall and a patch of land.

St Mary's Church announced it has sold the hall on Liverpool Road to a children's nursery and a small piece of the land has been brought by a scout group.

The organisation decided to sell the site in 2015 because it was becoming difficult to maintain and is not directly next to the church.

The building and the majority of the land has been sold to Kids Planet Day Nurseries.

But the patch which is home to the 10th Warrington West (St Mary's) Scouts hut has now been sold to the group.

The scouts feared they would have to find a new home after being based at the church for more than 55 years and they campaigned to save the hut.

Rev Jeremy Tear, team rector, said: “I am very pleased that the sale process has now been completed.

"The nursery will provide a much-needed community resource and the scouts a continuation of their long established provision for young people in the area.

"The church council is seeking to use the money to extend and make creative use of its existing space for church and community activities."

The Kids Planet Day Nursery opening in Great Sankey will be the company's 23rd branch. The building will be refurbished, with new centre due to open in September 2018.

Chief executive Clare Roberts said: “We are thrilled to have acquired this fantastic site in Great Sankey, we aim to provide the highest standard of childcare and education in each and every one of our nursery settings across the north west.”