ELDERLY worshippers have expressed dismay after being told their 100-year-old York church mission will be shut down.

Leaders at St Paul's Church, in Holgate Road, have decided to call time on the Poppleton Road Mission because of dwindling numbers and a desire to use the sale of the building to hire more staff.

The mission, which holds Sunday services at 3pm, was originally built as a Christian outreach to people living in that part of the parish.

More than 60 people used to attend the meetings, but this has been reduced to about a dozen, with the youngest member in their 60s.

Pensioner Adrian Gell, who was christened at the mission more than 70 years ago, says he will be saddened by the closure.

"It will be sadly missed but it's one of those things in life," he said.

"Numbers have gradually gone down over the years, but small groups are just as important as big groups.

"From a personal point of view, I'd like it to stay open a lot longer but these things happen - they call it progress."

Nell Hearing, who has attended the mission for 50 years, said: "I feel rather sad about it. I will keep going right until the end."

The vicar of St Paul's, the Reverend John Lee, said it was a difficult decision.

"The final decision hasn't been made about the future of the site, but the proposal we are considering is to sell the land and to set up a fund which would support more staff in the parish," he said.

"That's really because the business of the church these days is much more about people than buildings.

"The decision to close the Poppleton Road Mission has been difficult, but I think that we're at a point as a church when we can choose between a much treasured place or bringing about some new and life changing relationships by employing well qualified staff to help us in our mission."

Updated: 09:33 Saturday, December 06, 2003