Church shut after vicar 'was threatened during service'

St Agatha's Church, in picturesque Llanymynech, has shut its doors, with a notice saying the safety of any worshippers or clergy cannot be guaranteed after the incident, which took place during a celebration of ministry service.

The alleged threatening behaviour is said to have involved a homeless member of the community in the historic village, close to Pant, questioning the church's assistance on the issue of homelessness

A notice on the door of the church - which dates back to 1844 - says a meeting of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) will be held next Monday and is inviting villagers to attend.

The notice, posted by the Reverend Kathryn Trimby says: "At the moment, Llanymynech cannot provide the necessary conditions to ensure the safety and well being of any attending for worship and the officiant.

"The Archdeacon of Salop is coming to attend a special meeting of the PCC and members of the congregation to discuss how this situation can be resolved locally.

"When a satisfactory solution has been reached, public worship can be resumed and it is hoped this will be as soon as possible. It will though be subject to risk assessment by the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer to ensure that nobody is vulnerable to the threat of verbal or physical abuse."

The notice ends by saying the Rev Trimby hopes as many people as possible will attend 'in the interests of future church life here in Llanymynech' and that in the meantime, worship is available in three other churches in the benefice.

The church, was disestablished from the Church of Wales in 1915 after a vote and comes under the English diocese of Lichfield.

Members of Llanymynech Parish Council will also discuss the issue at their monthly meeting on Thursday.

Rev Trimby declined to comment when approached by the Shropshire Star but a spokesperson for the the Diocese of Lichfield said: “Following a serious, threatening incident during a recent service at St Agatha’s Church it was decided to temporarily suspend services there.

“This decision was not taken lightly but was felt necessary to ensure the safety of the those officiating at services and worshippers at the church.

“A special meeting of the Parochial Church Committee (PCC) will now take place to find a way to resolve the situation. We thank people for their patience while a solution is found and hope that services can resume as quickly as possible.

"Our chief concern is always that churches are safe and peaceful spaces for people to worship in.”