A SERVICE with a difference is being held at a disused church in Blackburn.

Confessional is a one-day live music festival inside Holy Trinity Church, on Mount Pleasant, on Saturday, September 26.

It is being organised by the Night at the Museum team, which lays on events in unusual venues, and will feature nine acts along with DJs.

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The church, which was built between 1837 and 1846 and designed by the Lancaster architect Edmund Sharpe, closed in 1981 and is used only for occasional services.

Earlier this year it was used by talent competition Reidys Exposure winners Where Fires Are to shoot a promotional video.

It was designated as a Grade-II listed church in May 1987, and was associated with Chad Vara who was the vicar from 1942-49 and is best known for setting up the Samaritans.

Event organiser Pete Eastwood, who lives on Regent’s View at Pleckgate in Blackburn, said he had been working on the event for about eight months.

He said: “I spent years putting on gigs in gig venues but it’s hard in a place like Blackburn.

“So I came up with the idea of putting on events in unusual places – the mission statement is Amazing Acts in Amazing Buildings.

“The Night at the Museum events have been very successful – if you make something different and a bit special people seem to be interested.

“I have taken months selecting some of the best up and coming acts around and I am very excited about the prospect of seeing them play in such a fantastic building.”

These include some of the most popular entertainers in the region, including Manchester’s Howling Rhythm Soul DJs, who sell out Manchester’s Ruby Lounge every month with a set-list of 60s soul, Motown, rhythm & blues and funk.

The headliners are Liverpool’s The Tea Street Band and the ex-frontman from Wakefield outfit Skint & Demoralised Matt Abbott will be the compere.

Former Oasis supremo Alan McGee’s first signing for his record label 359 Music, John McCullagh and The Escorts, will also belt out their tunes.

There are only 300 tickets, priced £15 or £12 for students, and they are available at confessional15.eventbrite.co.uk.