A NORTON church devastated by fire will bounce back to become a centre for the community, vows its minister.

The Reverend Stewart Young spoke out in the wake of Sunday's blaze at Trinity Church in Norton.

The fire, believed to have started after an electrical fault in the organ, left the interior seriously damaged.

But Mr Young said it was a blessing that the building remained structurally sound.

He said: "What we have got now is something we have to work with.

"It's like we have been given a blank canvas to some degree so we can do some modernisation."

Mr Young said insurance assessors had visited the church in Commercial Street, and building surveyors were due at the site to assess the damage.

It is not known what the true cost of the blaze is likely to be.

But Mr Young said the fire had provided Trinity with the chance to have a serious look at how services to the community could be bettered.

He said: "We will be able to expand and improve the services we provide, so we can basically see how we can best use what we have got.

"This will enable us to be the church in the community and the church for the community."

Mr Young said the many groups using the church, including Norton Youth Brass Band, mother and baby groups and a Brownie unit, were being relocated to temporary sites while the church was out of action.

He said: "We are trying to get on with as much as we can, so it's business as usual."

A church council meeting is scheduled for Saturday where Mr Young said discussions were to take place.

He stressed that members of the congregation would be given a real say in the future development of the building.

He said: "We are very much a partnership of clergy and laity.

"We are looking to see how we can accommodate other sorts of groups so we can let them all know that the church is there for them.

"This is an opportunity, not a set back."

Maureen Ellis, who has been involved with the mother and toddler group for more than 20 years, said everyone was keen to get back on their feet.

She said: "We are all wanting to get back in as soon as possible, so we can see if there's any help we can offer."

Updated: 09:18 Wednesday, February 06, 2002