CHURCHES in Blackburn are to tap into the emotion surrounding the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in a bid to swell dwindling congregations.

Throughout the diocese, churches are to be offered billboard posters depicting a sea of flowers interspersed with soft toys and sad messages - a scene which is linked by many people with the mourning week following the death of the "People's Princess."

The poster will carry the slogan: "If all this started you thinking, carry on at Easter."

Similar radio adverts are also being planned.

Martin Halsall, communications officer for the Blackburn Diocese, said churches throughout the area will be offered the posters.

He said: "A lot of the churches in our diocese use posters both in and outside buildings, often with witty lines which attract attention.

"Some churches will use them to try and attract attention and draw in more members of the local community. Others will use them to try to make people think about their faith.

"Hopefully it will help a lot of people. Posters are a good way of communicating ideas to people."

The poster, designed by the Churches Advertising Network, has more depth to it than just reminding people of Diana, said a Church of England spokesman.

He said: "The poster is designed to remind people of a wide number of tragedies, such as Hillsborough, Dunblane and Zebrugge, right down to more personal tragedies which result in makeshift roadside shrines."

The decision to launch the posters comes in the wake of criticism by Tony Blair about the commercialisation of Diana's memory.

But the spokesman added: "This isn't exploitation because it is there to help people. Advertising does have to be in your face for people to react to it."

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