The Institute of Christ the King wants to take over the running and restoration of St Walburge's which has been earmarked for closure under reform plans by the cash-strapped Diocese of Lancaster.

Fr William Hudson, the Florence-based order's UK representative, will meet Bishop of Lancaster Patrick O'Donoghue on Monday to discuss the proposals.

A private donor has offered to give £100,000 to St Walburge's if the Institute of Christ the King gets the go-ahead from the bishop.

Fr Hudson said he had been impressed by the levels of support for keeping the Pedder Street church open when he gave Latin masses there last month.

He said it had been estimated £2.5m would be needed in the longer term to run the Roman Catholic church, a large proportion of which could be obtained from public bodies like English Heritage and other trusts set up for the purpose of keeping historic churches open.

Fr Hudson, the head of Brussels International Catholic School in Belgium, declined to give details on the donor but said parishioners would be consulted on the ideas.

Parishioner Jim Aherne said: "St Walburge's is part of the city's history and we must preserve it for future generations."

Preston Council is backing the fight to keep St Walburge's open after it passed a motion calling on the Diocese to retain it as a place of worship for "the foreseeable future".

Coun Bill Shannon said: "The Diocese must move heaven and Earth. We cannot do much about heaven, but we can do plenty about Earth."

Council chief executive Jim Carr will now write to Bishop O'Donoghue calling on him to keep the church open.

But the Bishop said talk of transferring ownership of the church was premature.

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