ANYONE who enters a former baptist church is being threatened with arrest after reports endangered bats were living in the building.

Police have pledged to keep round-the-clock surveillance of Waterbarn Baptist Church, Stacksteads, until a bat survey is carried out.

Earlier this year the church was sold to developers who plan to turn it into a community theatre.

Worshippers still meet in a school room at the back of a church.

The Rev David Livermore said he and his congregation had not seen any bats and he wanted the police to clarify whether their order also banned parishioners from entering the building.

The order - made under the Wildlife and Countryside Act - is explained in a letter posted on the door of the chapel.

Police are now trying to arrange a meeting with the owners so they carry out a bat survey.

In the letter PC Tony Brookfield says: "We have received a report from a member of the public stating there are bats living in the church building.

"Bats are protected under schedule five of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

"The first thing we need to do is to establish if there are any bats in the building.

"Any work carried out prior to the survey being completed may be deemed a criminal offence. We will be monitoring the site, anyone found in the building or seen attempting to gain access will be faced with possible arrest.

"Clearly the easiest way around this problem is for all three parties to meet at an agreed time and assess the site. If there is no trace of bats it will be an end to the matter."

Mr Livermore, who held a service at the back of the church in the school room on Sunday after the notice was placed, said he had not seen any evidence of bats in the church.

He said: "As I understand it the notice is for a different part of the church, the part being used by the builders, so it is not our place of worship."

Mr Livermore is waiting for the police to get back to him to establish whether the notice covers the whole of the church building notice, he added.

The new owners of the church building were unavailable for comment.