Parishioners at a church in Redfield say they are astonished after the diocese scrapped £850,000 plans for a new school hall after five years of hard work.

The congregation at St Patrick's Church was told about the U-turn this week, that their plans for a new social hall and dining area for the Catholic school could go up in smoke.

The governors and parishioners had been planning the re-development project for the past five years for the benefit of both the school and the parish.

A new 6,000 sq ft building was due to replace a derelict building which houses both the school dining hall and parish social centre.

Building was due to commence on January 12 and the new hall was set to open in October next year.

The £850,000 needed has all been raised by the sale of the old church and associated property, allocated school funds and a £180,000 the Department for Education.

But at the 11th hour the church was told the scheme would not be happening and so far no explanation has been forthcoming.

A spokesman for St Patrick's said the parish was extremely disappointed that the final approval for the project to proceed was not given by the Diocesan trustees at their meeting last Wednesday.

Father Gregory Grant, parish priest of St Patrick's and chair of governors of the school said: "We were most surprised at the trustees' decision and we are currently seeking an opportunity to discuss the project in more detail with the hope of this decision being reconsidered."

A further statement on the church website thanks everyone involved in planning this project for the past five years and to The Grant Bradley Charitable Trust for funding the tens of thousands of pounds necessary to promote the scheme.

The statement read: "All the money was in place, the planning is in place, the contractor is in place.

"Astonishingly on Wednesday out of the blue the trustees decided to cancel the project.

"No good reason has been given. The parish and the school will need to reflect on their response to the Bishop and his trustees."

A spokesman for the Clifton Diocese said: "Discussions between the St Patrick's parish and trustees continue."

Church goers who spoken to the Post at St Patrick's last night, said the hall was badly in need of refurbishment.

None was willing to be named or pictured, but said the 210 pupils, as well as the staff, were distraught that the funding had been pulled.

One said the building was used as the school's dining hall and that children were eating in hats and scarves because it was so cold.