A CHURCH’S old pews are set to be transformed into crosses as part of a school’s innovative project.

St Barnabas Church in Darwen has replaced the pews with more comfortable chairs and offered to donate the wood to the neighbouring primary school.

Now children from St Barnabas School, in Knowsley Road, have submitted their designs for the new crosses which will be placed outside the school entrance and inside the hall.

Aspects from designs by four pupils from 140 entries were picked to be included and the school hope to invite the Bishop of Blackburn to the school to consecrate the crosses in the first week of March.

Deputy head teacher, Helen Thomas, said: “We had such a large amount of designs sent in by the pupils and they were all fantastic.”

Local carpenters Clive Weston and Roy Fowler are completing the work for the school and were part of the group, along with Reverend Les Collinson, who helped picked the winners.

“We have been searching for a way to bring the school closer to the church and this seemed like the perfect way to do it.

“I hope that they will become a real focal point in the school and that they will be an asset to the school throughout the years to come.

“It was very kind of the church to donate the wood and it has ensured that the old pews will not go to waste.”