A NEW minister has been appointed for Stacksteads - with two churches sharing his services.

Parishioners at Waterbarn Baptist Church and Acre Mill Baptist Church were celebrating when the Rev David Kenneth Livermore was officially inducted at the weekend.

The church congregation have been without a dedicated minister for years - with services being covered on an ad hoc basis from neighbouring East Lancashire towns.

The churches have been relying on Blackburn's Leamington Road Baptist Church to provide them with lay preachers and ministers from Burnley to cover services over the past couple years.

Elsie Sellers, secretary of Waterbarn Baptist Church, said parishioners breathed a sigh of relief when the minister arrived at the weekend.

A service was held on Saturday with special guests including Rossendale's MP Janet Anderson and the borough's Mayor June Forshaw attending the event.

Inducted by the Rev Andrew Funnell, of the North Western Baptist Association, Rev Livermore, has moved from Billesdon in Leicester, to live in Fernhill Crescent, Stacksteads.

Mrs Sellers said: "We are all delighted to finally welcome a minister to the churches. We don't mind sharing because there is a real shortage. We are just happy to have somebody that will be dedicated to serving both churches."

She added: "We have been without a minister for 13 years with Acre Mill not having one for three years."

The minister will conduct services at each church on a rotating basis with lay preachers or local ministers stepping in to cover services.

Stacksteads councillor Christine Lamb said: "It's fantastic news and shows that we are moving in the right direction.

"Everybody involved in the two churches have worked extremely hard over the past years to ensure the churches continue despite being without a minister for many years."

Rev Livermore, 46, who is married to Rachel and has two children, said: "I haven't looked after two churches before so I expect it's going to be something of a challenge but it's quite an exciting one.

"I am quite new to the ministry as I was a church-based student minister in Leicester after I joined at 43.

"I had been running a business but had a calling from God and knew that this is what I had to do. I think it's fantastic that two churches are prepared to work together and look forward to the challenges ahead."