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A PARISH church that was once the cathedral of Cornwall is to be effectively mothballed because of a decline in worshippers.

Just

six services a year are now to be held at St Germans in South East

Cornwall, according to parishioners, who say they are "heartbroken" by

the decision.

They also say the 1,000-year-old church could be taken over by the Churches Conservation Trust.

A

resident of St Germans, who wished to remain anonymous, told the

Western Morning News: "Closure has been rumoured for some time – the

problems started in 2002.

"The church is a national treasure and was the cathedral of Cornwall at one time. People have worshipped there for 1,000 years.

"Since

2002, the congregation has reduced from about 48 to a maximum of 10 –

if it's not raining. There's no organ and the treasures of the church

aren't to be seen.

"Now we're so afraid we will have nowhere to worship at all."

A meeting is due to be held next Sunday at noon at St Germans Church to discuss its future and possible closure.

The

anonymous parishioner said: "There is a group of us who feel that we

should tell as many people as possible about the possible closure.

"We are all quiet, sensible people – we aren't rabble-rousers or a clique which is trying to cause trouble.

"We want to know if the people of St Germans want this – and people from further afield who come to visit our church.

"We're heartbroken about this news and we are determined to tell everyone we can."

David Watson, of the Diocese of Truro, said the church's future was uncertain.

"I know that the parochial church council were considering the church being taken over by the Churches Conservation Trust.

"This

would mean that it wouldn't really close – it would still be open for

people to go into for a quiet space and there would be a series of

services throughout the year."

Mr Watson said the future of the

church would be discussed at parochial church council level before an

application was sent to the Diocese of Truro to decide what they would

like to do about the future of the church.

"I'm very anxious to

make clear that the church won't close – its status would change," said

Mr Watson. "It is a highly emotive issue for a small community like St

Germans.

"But on the other hand, if the worshipping community is

reduced to the fingers on one hand, and there are all the costs of

maintaining a church, it has to become a hard-nosed financial decision."