First same-sex service booking taken at Leyland United Reformed Church

Leyland United Reformed Church will hold the service in 2019 - though it is possible others could come forward before then.

Reverend David Coaker said there had been a number of inquiries from couples seeking to get married at the church after it became an approved venue for same-sex marriages in May.

He said: “We’ve got a booking for 2019.”

Asked if he expected others before then, he said: “Possibly. I had a conversation with a retired colleague whose church didn’t take that step. One of their members might want to get married, and I’ve offered the building.”

Reverend Coaker said he was not surprised more same-sex marriages had not been booked at the church. “Not really, it was a principled decision,” he said.

Leyland URC’s vote for same-sex marriages was made possible after the United Reformed Church General Assembly agreed in July 2016 that decisions about whether to allow the marriage of same sex couples would be made by individual congregations within the different legal systems of parts of the UK. It followed legislation bringing recognition for same-sex marriage into law.