FOR Bolton's oldest Catholic church, the future is Orange.

The impressive SS Peter & Paul's Church building in Pilkington Street has marked its 100th birthday by joining the telecommunications' revolution.

As its new, 8ft high illuminated cross shines out over Bolton spreading the message of faith, the 120ft tower behind it houses a base station for the massive Orange communications company.

The installation - which involves no manpower and has six antennae on the tower's higher level - helps provide an efficient signal for local mobile phones to operate.

It is one of seven base stations in the Bolton area and a spokeswoman for Orange explained that it was policy to use existing buildings for them.

This leap into Millennium hi-tech is just another chapter in the history of a building which survived intact through two world wars.

Even a fierce blaze in 1983 which caused thousands of pounds worth of damage could not diminish its imposing place on the local skyline.

The current magnificent edifice replaced the original small chapel when that building was almost 100-years-old.

The Victorian building was made to seat 800 parishioners, and was described at the time as having enough alabaster in it to build a dozen churches.

In the last few decades, mill and factory closures and demolition of many terraced homes nearby have changed the urban landscape and hit congregation numbers at SS Peter & Paul's.

But the recent expansion of Bolton Institute has also brought several hundred more young people within its kindly ambit.

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