A THRIVING church hopes to move into new premises because its existing site is filled to the rafters during worship services and youth activities.

The Christian Life Centre regularly attracts 600 people to services and events at its main church building in Woodham Way, Woodham, near Newton Aycliffe.

Sunday worship is so popular that it holds two morning family services as well as an evening service. Youth groups, including Planet Youth for 11 to 25-year-olds and Planet Kids for primary school-aged children, have as many as 200 members each.

Church leaders now want to move into bigger premises that can cope better with the large congregations it is attracting.

Spokesman Julian Clark said: "It is an exciting time. We are going from strength to strength and the best way to build on that and reach more of the community is with bigger premises. We want to stay local - in or around Newton Aycliffe or on Aycliffe Industrial Estate and estimate it would cost around £1m."

The church, which started in 1967, moved to Woodham Way in the late 1980s but in less than two decades has outgrown the main building despite an extension.

Members have raised £100,000 already this year which has helped clear debts and will go towards plans for a new building.