CHURCH congregations in County Durham will offer the hand of friendship in a bid to create greater unity between the Christian community.

This weekend, the Teesdale village of Hamsterley will lead the efforts to form a stronger bond between Anglican, Baptist and Methodist sects.

Three churches in the village will sign a declaration of intent, committing themselves to greater unity and co-operation.

Villagers are encouraged to join a service on Sunday to mark the occasion, which will be held in all three churches.

It will begin at St James with Holy Communion celebrated by the Bishop of Jarrow, the Darlington District Methodist Chairman and the Northern Baptist Association regional minister. Children, carrying flags and banners, will then lead the congregation to the Methodist Chapel, where Myra Blyth will be the preacher.

Parishioners will then walk to the Baptist Chapel, where the declaration will be signed, then move on to the village hall for a faith lunch.

Later this month, Methodist and Anglican churches in Witton Park, near Bishop Auckland, will meet to discuss forming a local ecumenical partnership.

Methodists worship in the village hall but are keen to build a church or share premises with Anglicans at St Paul's.

A meeting will be held at St Paul's Church on Tuesday May 28, at 8pm, to discuss the options.