AN offer has been made to buy a village chapel in North Yorkshire, with a view to turning it into a house.

The redundant churches' uses committee of the York Diocese has recommended that an offer to buy the chapel of ease in Thornton le Beans should be accepted by the Church Commissioners.

A spokesman confirmed that the offer would involve the Grade 2 listed building being converted for residential use, but could not say who had made the offer.

Some people are concerned that there are bats living in the 18th Century chapel. As a protected species, they could prevent any development taking place.

The chapel was formally made redundant three years ago after it closed due to dwindling attendances and mounting structural maintenance problems during the early 1990s.

At the time, there was strong opposition from local people, some of whom formed a trust, the Friends of the Chapel, which was willing to take on responsibility for maintaining the building.

However, the York Diocese decided to put the building on the market instead.

Peter Brown, of the Friends, said: "We did not believe it would be sold, because of the various constraints on development, such as the graveyard, which must remain.

"We find it difficult to comprehend that it can be sold to be turned into a house."