BOLTON churches are expecting to be fuller this Christmas than for years as more people than ever flock through their doors .

A new national survey reveals more than four in every 10 adults intend visiting church this festive season, up by 10 per cent in just four years.

And the Bishop of Bolton, the Rt Rev David Gillett, says he too is encouraged that a trend of declining church attendances is being reversed in Bolton.

"In the last few years the trend has started to reverse," he said, adding that he has noticed bigger congregations than in the past at the several carol services he has attended in the area.

He believes a number of momentous events this year, such as the Pakistan earthquake, the Asian tsunami, the London bombings and the hurricanes in America have led people to consider spiritual questions.

"The Christmas story about God coming as a little baby helps us cope," he said.

"It is a life sized story that brings the world down to human sized experience."

But he expresses amazement that at a time when interest in churchgoing is increasing shops and businesses are more reluctant than ever to mention the word Christmas.

"It is all part of the fear of offending people - political correctness gone mad," he said.

But he believes the fears are misguided and other faiths are not offended by Christmas.

"I have had a number of Christmas cards from Muslim friends," he said.

Increased interest in the message behind the seasonal celebrations has also been noticed by Rev Phil Mason, Methodist minister at Victoria Hall, who was delighted to welcome 600 people to a carol service at the weekend.

He was also chosen to read a lesson on the Real Christmas radio broadcast on Sunday evening, listened to by parishioners in hundreds of churches and other locations throughout the North-west.

"I think this is the most exciting time to be engaged in ministry for a long time," he said.