NEW statistics released by the Church of England show the number of people attending churches in the diocese of Exeter has risen over the last year.

The number of people attending all-age worship climbed from 24,900 in 2008 to 26,800 in 2009 — the latest statistics to be released by the Church of England.

The number of children and young people coming to services each week has also risen to an average of 3,500 — an increase of 700.

The Bishop of Exeter, the Rt Rev Michael Langrish, welcomed the latest statistics.

He said: 'In 2008 we set ourselves a range of growth targets, which include our weekly attendance and the number of those in training for licensed ordained and lay ministry.  

'It is great to see that attendance figures have increased in the first year, especially in the numbers of children and young people coming along to our churches.

'What is also exciting is the number of people being called to train for ordination and for Reader Ministry. This increase shows we have an active and committed church membership, in contradiction to the widely held view that the church is dying.  

'Our hope and expectation is that as these people complete their training and come to exercise their ministry in the local church that this will have a profound effect on both spiritual growth, and increase in numbers, across the diocese.'