THEY have been at the heart of our communities for several hundred years.

Their distinctive architecture has added something special to the town’s skyline and they will have played important roles in some of the key moments of many families’ lives.

Sadly some of these magnificent buildings have closed due to dwindling congregations, been put to other uses or even demolished.

But we thought it would be interesting to delve into the Evening News archives and produce this Looking Back special on some of the churches of Bolton in years gone by.

How many of them do you recognise?