AFTER 150 years of teaching, advising and praying, nuns are set to leave Crook for the last time.

Sisters first came to the town in the 1860s to teach at the newly built St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic Primary School.

They have been in Crook ever since but over the next few months the town will say a fond farewell to the two remaining sisters, Sisters Lucy and Marie Therese.

The first sisters, who came from the Sisters of Charity and of St Paul, were invited to the town in 1862 by Thomas Wilkinson, a local landowner and the man behind the school being built on Church Hill.

Originally the sisters lived in cottages in the town but a Convent attached to the school, where they still live, was opened in 1887.

The order was based in Birmingham and they sent 35 sisters to Crook during their 48 year presence in the town three of whom died in the town and are buried in the neighbouring church yard.

In 1910 the Sisters of Charity and St Paul were replaced by The Sisters Of Mercy who were based in Alnwick, Northumberland.

They taught at St Cuthbert’s School until 1992 when they were replaced by Middlesbrough-based order The Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ) who have sent five sisters to Crook over the past 20 years.

Sister Lucy was one of the first members of the FCJ to arrive and until recently led weekly workshops in the primary school.

The 87-year-old said: “It’s been wonderful, I have been very happy here, the people of Crook are so friendly and affirming.”

She is moving to a Convent in Middlesbrough while Sister Marie Therese is moving to Manchester.

Roger Kelly, who was a pupil at St Cuthbert’s School and member of St Cuthbert’s congregation, said many women became nuns as it was a way to get a career in teaching or nursing.

He said: “Now of course there are many ways to follow careers, the need for nuns has changed and there are very few young women prepared to dedicate their life to God.”

Mr Kelly said the Convent’s future has not yet been decided, adding: “We would like to thank all the sisters who have come to Crook during their 150 years here, they have been a real support to the town and we are sorry to see them leave.”