CHORLEY churches have got together to fight third world debt.

A body of Roman Catholic, Methodist, United Reformed, Independent and Church of England churches made a paper chain to symbolise the issue.

The chain was wrapped around St Laurence's Church, Chorley, at the weekend, to coincide with the G8 summit in Tokyo, where leaders of the world's richest countries discussed several issues, including third world debt.

The Chorley chain ties in with the aims of the Jubilee 2000 coalition, which was formed by various Christian groups -- such as Christian Aid and Cafod -- to fight world debt.

Many similar events were run nationwide over the weekend.

Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle broke the Chorley chain just after midday on Saturday, as a symbolic breaking of debt burden.

Reverend Philip Chew, of St Laurence's, said the chain had been made by all the different churches, particularly the youngsters, working together.

Calling it "an act of unity" he said: "It was in tune with what was going on on an international level."

He said that the event had been very pleasant, and had been successful in raising awareness in Chorley about the debt problems of poor nations. "A lot of people enquired about what third world debt is," he said.