Woking church swapping pews for ice rink

A church in Surrey is swapping hymn books and pews for ice skates and a rink in the hope of encouraging more people through its doors.

Woking United Reformed Church is removing the seats to make way for a synthetic ice rink during half term.

The Reverend Lucy Brierley said as well as benefiting the community, a charity helping children with special needs would be using the facilities.

"We want people to come in and have some fun," she said.

The ice rink will be open from Tuesday until Friday, with Wednesday reserved for the Children with Special Needs Foundation.

Ms Brierley said: "It gives people a reason to come into the church and hopefully when they do they will find the Christians here are not scary at all but welcoming with arms open for them."

She added that there would be a small cost with the money going to the charity and Woking Hospice.