CHURCHGOERS today called for the results of an inquiry into whether a gay 'wedding' was blessed by a Methodist minister, to be made public.

The Methodist Church, which does not allow its ministers to bless gay unions, launched an investigation after the 'marriage' of Ray and Jimmi Holden at their Accrington town centre pub The Queens just over a week ago.

But the Church is refusing to make the results of the inquiry public.

A bible study group from Cambridge Street Methodist Church in the town has written letters to the superintendent minister at Accrington the Rev Andrew Scutt, the head of the north Lancashire district the Rev Steven Poxon and the president of the Methodist Conference, demanding the results of the investigation be made public.

The bible study group, which has seven members but says it represents other people in the church has also called for the results of the inquiry to be published in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

But a spokeswoman for the Methodist Conference said today: "There has been an inquiry but I cannot tell you anything else." When pressed into whether any disciplinary action had been taken she said: "I can't say whether any disciplinary action has been taken because all disciplinary actions within the Methodist Church are confidential."

Guests at the wedding, which took place on September 8, said the minister was dressed in a clerical collar but refused to name him.

After the service, secretary of the Methodist Conference the Rev Doctor Nigel Collinson said: "The law of the land does not permit the marriage of two people of the same sex and the policy of the Methodist Church does not include the blessing of gay unions."

Ray, 40, and Jimmi, 26, who changed his name by deed poll from Ferguson, are joint licensees of The Queens Hotel, Eastgate, Accrington.

Just after the ceremony Ray said: "The ceremony was blessed by a Methodist minister but we are not naming him because he doesn't want any bad publicity."