A CHURCH has given its blessing for pole dancing lessons to take place under its roof.

Fitness instructor Sarah Cockerill teaches her troupe at Yarm Road Methodist Church, in Stockton.

Women slide up and down the poles in the aisles during the classes, surrounded by wooden crosses and Sunday school artwork.

Ms Cockerill admits she was not sure how appropriate the church was for the class, and said: “When I was offered this place I thought it was a bit strange to do it in a church, but the girls don’t mind and at least it means they go to church once a week.

“At Christmas, the nativity scene is out so it means we’re spinning around in front of Baby Jesus.”

The poles are attached to the ceiling and can support up to 18 stone.

Lindsey Battensby, 26, from Normanby, near Stockton, found out about the class through a friend.

She said: “At first it seemed a bit wrong doing it in a church, but it’s brilliant. It’s given me great confidence and I didn’t have any upper body strength before I started pole dancing.”

Mother-of-two Melissa Carlin, 25, from Norton, near Stockton, first started pole dancing classes when she lived abroad.

Ms Carlin, who is mother to Jude, three, and Noah, six months, said: “I started pole dancing after my first baby and I came here because I wanted tone up after my second baby.

“It uses a lot of core body strength and helps you to tone up.

“I was quite surprised to learn it was in a church, but it brings people to the church.

It’s not overly sexual.”

Anne Day, who is a church member and takes the bookings, said: “We felt that the pole dancing class was something different and it is an exercise class with the message of exercising your core.

“It is not about people going to do it out on the streets of Stockton; it is more about what people like to do for exercise in the local community.

“The pole dancing class is quite popular and the church doesn’t have a problem.

“We have a hula-hoop class before the pole dancing and we also have Zumba classes.

We are eventually going to refurbish all the back premises where the classes are run and the facilities will be available to the local community.”