THE Bishop of Blackburn is among members of the clergy who have written a letter supporting colleagues threatening to quit the church if women become bishops.

The Rt Rev Nicholas Reade signed the document along with the diocesan bishops of Chichester and Gibraltar.

The letter was sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury after 600 clergy wrote to Dr Rowen Williams warning that they might leave the Church if safeguards such as dioceses for opponents of women bishops are not set up.

Currently 'flying bishops' support members of the clergy opposed to women being ordained, when their own bishops support the scheme.

But under suggestions put forward in the Manchester Report, which looks at how women can be introduced as bishops, this could be abandoned.

The three bishops are not themselves saying that they will leave the church but support the threat made by other members of the clergy.

The bishops argue that traditionalist clergy will not be able to “maintain an honoured place” in the Church without sufficient legislation.

Their letter states: “We have always believed that in important matters of faith and order it is the mind of the whole Church which should be our guide.

"Clearly the ordination of women as bishops would divide the Church of England even more fundamentally that the ordination of women as priests.

“We are convinced that some form of separate identities will be required to enable the holders of mutually incompatible convictions about the faith and order of the church to remain in as high a degree of continuing fellowship as possible, thus enabling both groups to flourish freely and without hindrance.”

Rev Reade was yesterday unavailable for comment.

Do you want to see women bishops? Add your comments below.