CHURCHES Together in Bolton has folded after 83 years of linking people of different religious denominations.

Despite being the oldest group of its kind in Britain, CTB has been forced to close after falling victim to its own success.

The growth of smaller Churches Together groups has meant more and more areas of the town have, in recent years, formed their own groups linking local churches.

And that situation twisted the arm of members of the borough-wide group into officially disbanding the organisation at its annual meeting.

It is the end of an era for the group which began as Bolton Council of Churches in 1917. But CTB president Rev Jim Hollyman refused to see the move as the end. He said the town is best served by the ten smaller groups.

He added: "It is very much the spirit that the council have come to the point where it no longer fulfils the needs of people in the borough at this time.

"It is growth and progress and it shows that more people are involved in their own localities.

"We ended our meeting with a thanksgiving, recognising all that has been done over the last 80 or so years. It's not a sad occasion but a very happy one."

The meeting was held at Christ Church, Walmsley, Bolton, chaired by Rev Hollyman and with reports from a number of groups including Christian Aid and the Police Chaplaincy.

CTB's functions will become the responsibility of Christians Together in Bolton Town Centre (CTIBTC) in partnership with the newly-formed Church Leaders Group.