A HIGH Court battle is on the horizon for campaigners aiming to have a landmark church in Wirral re-opened.

Campaigners trying to save Ss Peter and Paul’s Catholic church, in New Brighton, have announced they will be starting legal proceedings, after the diocese refused to re-open the church despite a ruling from the Vatican.

Pressure group SOUL (Save Our Unique Landmark), took their battle against the diocese to the Vatican where the Congregation of the Clergy returned a critical verdict on the closure.

Those fighting the closure say they had been assured that the diocese would abide by the Congregation of the Clergy’s decision.

In a  statement, SOUL said: “Shrewsbury Diocese, under concerted pressure and to the astonishment of parishioners, has finally confirmed its position that it will not abide by its written pledge to ‘be bound by the decision of the Congregation in Rome’ and that it will not be re-opening the Church of Ss Peter and Paul, New Brighton.

“Parishioners of Ss Peter and Paul’s will be instigating legal proceedings to ensure the validation of the unequivocal decision of the Vatican  as set out in the attached Decree from the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome.”

Ss Peter and Paul’s was shut last year despite the  majority of parishioners saying they wanted it to remain open.

The diocese  forced the closure, saying the church – which became known to sailors as the “Dome of Home” – was too large for the congregation.