BRING your blankets and wrap up warm if you are heading to St Eustachius Church in Tavistock this festive season, as unfortunately, the boilers have been condemned unfit for use.

During the church's annual safety inspection last week it was discovered that the boilers were not safe to use and have to be replaced — and it doesn't look like they can be replaced until the new year.

The Rev Michael Brierley said: 'This has taken us by surprise — this is the worst possible time of year for this to happen.

'We warmly encourage everyone to wrap up warm and we look forward to the heating being fixed in the new year.

'The warmth of the welcome will be there in spirit if not in temperature.'

To help parishioners keep the chill away during the winter season, it is hoped that the diocese in Devon will supply the church with 'warm botts' — an equivalent to hand warmers — that parishioners can sit on.