AN Altrincham church is to close - just weeks after celebrating its 150th anniversary.

The Grade II Listed St John the Evangelist will shuts its doors for the final time on January 2. Its final service will be on December 27.

It marked its landmark anniversary with a weekend of celebration on December 10 and 11.

But the St John's Road church broke the news of its closure on its Facebook page.

It said: "After the celebrations of the weekend, back to the real world. It is with sadness that we can confirm that St John's will close officially on January 2nd, although our last service will be at 11.00am on St John's Day, December 27th.

"Help us to make our last Christmas special."

Church leaders said the closure decision was made because the congregation "has fallen to an unsustainable level over the last few years."

The Diocese of Chester continued in a statement: "They have worked heroically to maintain the ministry but have simply run out of energy, money and support to make the place viable.

"Altrincham has a large number of Churches and every other Anglican Church in the area is doing extremely well."

The Archdeacon of Macclesfield, the Ven Ian Bishop, said : “It is always sad when a church closes but everyone agrees that this is the right decision in this particular case. "The 150th anniversary celebrations were a real celebration of a remarkable history of fine ministry in Altrincham and so it is with thanks for the past that the church now closes for worship in the new year. "The Church of England has thriving congregations elsewhere in Altrincham and the transition to a new phase of church life in the area is expected to proceed without difficulties.”

The Rev Edmund Betts, who was priest in charge of St John’s in addition to being incumbent of St George Altrincham, will continue as Incumbent of St George Altrincham.

The diocese added that the future of the Church building is now being actively considered and it is hoped to find a use which "respects the past and yet provides for the future of the area."

The members of the congregation are being helped to find a new church and it is believed that some intend to attend St George Altrincham, some St Peter Hale and some St Margaret Dunham Massey.