ST DAVID’S Catholic Church in Newton-le-Willows has closed its doors for the final time earlier this month.

As part of plans to merge three churches under one local parish, the church of St David on Wargrave Road has was “taken out of sacred use and [can] no longer be used for divine worship” from last Sunday, November 21.

St David’s closure comes under a merger of local parishes in Newton, which also includes St Mary’s and St John’s on Crow Lane and St Patrick’s on Common Road.

As the three parishes have been under the pastoral care of a single priest since 2012, it has been decided that religious activity will now be subsumed under St Mary’s and St Johns.

While St Patricks will still be open for mass, St David’s has been completely closed to the public, as confirmed by Father Benedict, the parish priest of St Mary and St John’s.

Although church-goers expressed concern over the closure of St David’s, which has served residents since 1968, the decision had already been made.

Holy, artistic or historic valuables from the church will now predominantly be housed at St Mary’s and St John’s, while discussions of the future use of the building are something that will be ongoing.