WORSHIPPERS have said fond farewells to one of the most distinctive churches in the region.

The last service was held on Sunday at The Church of Christ The King in Bowburn, near Durham City, which is to be demolished.

The church, nicknamed the "pineapple church" or the "church with the upside down rocket," was built in 1976 with a revolutionary futuristic design.

But it has suffered from problems including a leaking roof and is to be pulled down.

The parish is launching a £1.1m appeal to build a place of worship on the same site in Prince Charles Avenue .

In the meantime, services will be held in the village's Methodist Church.

The final service featured the vicar, Father James Thompson; the Bishop of Beverley, the Right Reverend Martyn Jarrett; and the Archdeacon of Durham, the Venerable Stephen Conway.

Maureen Robinson, a church warden, said about 85 adults and children attended "the wonderful" service, including two of the builders who worked on the church.

She said: "The ladies turned up in hats and everyone in the congregation was given a small paper dove.

"The children were given big punchbag balloons, we had a lovely glass of wine in the vicarage grounds afterwards and a lovely lunch at Bowburn Hall.

"There were a few tears when the service was over, but it was a happy occasion."

Mrs Robinson said it was hoped that the church would be built in three years time and that an application for National Lottery funding was in the offing.

The parish has been holding fundraising events and has appealed for support from every diocese in the country.

"Although it has been deteriorating for quite some time, the church is a lovely building to worship in," Mrs Robinson said.

"It is a lovely shape and size - but at the end of the day, the church is the people. We will stick together and we will be all right down in the Methodist Church."