A CHURCHGOER has called on "decent people of all religions" to join a pressure campaign aimed at forcing the BBC to scrap a controversial cartoon which ridicules the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church.

Joan Hurst, of Rishton, said plans to broadcast the satirical cartoon Popetown had caused outrage among Roman Catholics and that support was flooding in from all the religions of the world.

"The Pope is universally respected and admired for his humanitarian work and is the most moral of leaders," said Miss Hurst, who teaches at St Charles RC Junior School, Rishton.

"This programme sets out to belittle the Pope and the Catholic Church but why?

"They say it is just a bit of fun but I believe that the derision of any religion is morally wrong.

"The BBC should have more respect."

Popetown is a 10-part animation which is due to be shown on BBC3, starting in May.

The publicity material for the programme says the cartoon depicts the cardinals as "sinister, corrupt and mysteriously wealthy."

The Pope's voice is provided by comedienne Ruby Wax and he is shown as "doddery and infuriatingly childish."

Miss Hurst said: "This is a totally unreasonable attack on a man who does nothing but good and who suffers for his love of humanity.

"He is loved by millions of people all over the world and I can't understand why anyone would want to make fun of him in this way."

Human rights activist James Mawdsley, 30, has pledged to go to jail rather than pay his licence fee if the BBC go ahead with the programme.

"That is the strength of feeling that exists over this issue," said Miss Hurst.

"I believe that if enough people put pressure on the Corporation they will have to reconsider their position.

"This is not just an attack on the Pope and the Catholic Church it is an attack on common decency and the BBC is using public funds to finance that attack."

A petition is being displayed at St Charles.

Miss Hurst hopes individuals, as well as signing that will write to the BBC to express their disgust.