PLANS to remove the organ and pews from an old church have stirred a controversy.

St Luke's Church stands on part of the former Winterton Hospital site, at Sedgefield.

It was the place of worship for patients and staff at the psychiatric hospital, which in the 1960s was the largest of its kind in Europe, housing more than 2,000 patients.

The hospital closed two years ago, and the site, owned by NHS Estates, was sold to Miller Homes for redevelopment.

The church, which is a listed building, was also sold to Miller Homes, although the NHS retained ownership of the rare organ and the pews in the church.

Now NHS Estates has applied to Sedgefield Borough Council for listed building permission to remove the pews and organ from the church.

But the move is fiercely opposed by local councillors.

Members of Sedgefield Town Council fear any moves to take away the organ or pews could lead to the church being left redundant.

Town councillor Roger Clubley said: "We have been discussing what to do with the church since it was announced homes were to be built on the site.

"Nobody has come up with any firm decisions on what the church will be used for yet, and we think it is wrong of NHS Estates to remove the organ before we know whether it will be needed to keep the church viable or not.

"There are ideas for the church to be used as an arts venue, or a community facility and leased for those purposes, and it could be important that it still has the organ in order for people to take it on.

"We fear it could be left redundant without the organ, and nobody would take it on."

He said if consultations showed that the organ would not be needed to keep the church alive, then they would not object to its removal.

NHS Estates said the removal of the church and pews would benefit the church, which has not been used for a religious service for about three years.

A spokesman said: "We decided to do this because it will make it easier for the church to be used for some further community use and it will prevent vandalism.

"We also thought the organ could be moved to Brancepeth Church, which was damaged by fire last year, and it would be the focal part of the church once rebuilding has been completed."

He said NHS Estates was not aware of demand to use the church as a place of worship, and arrangements to move the organ had been made in consultation with the Durham Diocese.

The spokesman said NHS Estates was still open to suggestions for future uses for the church