A WESTON church is closing down after 77 years due to a dwindling congregation. Only three people, all over the age of 70, attend Langford Road Free Evangelical Church, which is held at the Gospel Memorial Hall. The church, which is a registered charity,

A WESTON church is closing down after 77 years due to a dwindling congregation.Only three people, all over the age of 70, attend Langford Road Free Evangelical Church, which is held at the Gospel Memorial Hall.The church, which is a registered charity, has had just three members for over a year and has now been forced to close by the charity commission due to a lack of trustees.Betty Davis, aged 70, who has been worshipping at the church since she was aged three, said: "Numbers have slowly dwindled. It was a lovely church when it was full. I'm sad to see it go and yet it's good to remember the good things that went on there. "It was the hub of the community. It has meant a lot to a lot of families over the years. I think people just don't go to church now. It's a shame."The church is holding its last service on November 11 at 3pm and everyone is invited to go along for a coffee and a chat about old times and to look at old photos.The church opened its doors for the first time in the Potteries estate on November 7, 1929 as Langford Road Mission. During the war an incendiary bomb fell through the roof into the kitchen, but failed to go off. But the hole in the room remained until 1969.The church was a huge success and drew around 230 children to its Sunday school in the 1940s and 100 adults to its services. But over the years its numbers dropped and in 1981 the church joined with the nearby Emmanuel Free Church bringing their congregation up to 13.The last pastor left over 10 years ago and sadly the church was unable to replace him so members invited guest speakers in to take the service.The memorial hall was sold last week and the dedicated congregation is now hunting for another place to worship.