A £10,000 pledge has brought a Darwen charity shop a step closer to opening a shelter for the homeless.

Pat Monks, manager of the Broken Arcs Christian Charity Shop, Duckworth Street, set her eyes on the Islington Baptist Church, Blackburn, six years ago to provide a shelter for homeless people in the borough.

The church went up for sale three weeks ago and Pat needs to raise £150,000 to buy the building she saw in a vision from God.

She said: "I saw the church and God told me it was the right one.

"I want to set up a soup kitchen as well as making it a drop-in centre for homeless people.

"I was thrilled to receive a phone call pledging £10,000 for the scheme and I'm so grateful. This is a massive step towards buying the church."

Anyone wishing to contribute to the scheme or help in the fundraising efforts should contact 01254 772591.