A minister has been appointed to a Barnoldswick church for the first time.

The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland has met informally as a congregation since the late 1960s, but was not officially established in Barnoldswick until 1977.

In all that time, the church has never had a minister – until now.

The Rev Keith Watkins was inducted as the minister at a ceremony at the church, which is based in the former telephone exchange building on Kelbrook Road.

He will take the reins from a number of church elders, who have led the services over the years.

One of those elders, Roy Middleton, said: “We’ve tried on many occasions to get a minister in. This must have been our seventh or eighth attempt.”

Mr Watkins was ordained in 1993 and his first appointment was in London. He then became a missionary for the church in Kenya in 2001 and served in that role for more than ten years.

Mr Watkins will lead the Barnoldswick congregation, which has nearly 50 members, and will also serve as minister at a church in Manchester.