A NORTH-EAST Anglican church has welcomed reports that the Government is considering proposals to install Wi-fi in churches - but has pointed to its own difficulties as an example of the problems that will be faced.

St Michael and All Angels in Witton Gilbert, near Durham City, has been trying for a year, without success, to have Wi-fi installed in the 800-year-old building.

Several days ago, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber said that churches across the country should be fitted with Wi-fi in a bid to make them a more integral part of the community.

St Michael and All Angels’ vicar, Canon Caroline Dick, welcomed the composer’s recognition of the need for churches to install Wi-fi in their buildings, especially in the light of their year-long struggle.

The saga began when BT couldn’t send an engineer out as the church did not have a postcode, the council couldn’t give them a postcode without a letterbox and the location of

the letterbox then had to be approved by the archdeacon, all of which took time.

The church was originally quoted £300 for Wi-fi to be put in, but when the engineer did come out they were told it would cost £1,500 to run the wire from the road to the church as existing telegraph poles could not be used.

The church’s health and wellbeing charity Breathing Space has its offices in the church and until the Wi-fi is installed the project officer Gillie Boggon is having to cope with a mobile phone and home working.

Canon Dick said: “Andrew Lloyd Webber’s proposal couldn’t be more timely in highlighting the urgent need for our churches to be of real service to their communities.

“We will continue to do all that we can to raise the £1,500 needed and we will be first in the queue when money becomes available to support Andrew Lloyd Webber’s idea.“