LORD WHAT A MIX-UP!

But St Hilda's, of Southwick, had never been officially consecrated in its 93-year history.

The sacred ceremony may not have gone ahead because of a "simple oversight".

The Bishop of Hexham, the Rt Rev Ambrose Griffiths, finally called at the Roman Catholic church to carry out the consecration last night.

Almost 500 worshippers, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Sunderland, watched as he anointed the walls with holy oil and blessed the building.

Father Cornelius O'Connor realised the ceremony had not been carried out when he took over St Hilda's three years ago.

He said he was surprised the church had stood since 1908 without the official blessing taking place.

Fr O'Connor added: "It is highly unusual for a church to go without being consecrated. I have not heard of this happening before.

"I became aware that St Hilda's had not been consecrated shortly after I came here.

"I discussed this with the parish council and they agreed that doing this would be a good idea."

But Fr O'Connor stressed that weddings, blessing and christenings carried out at St Hilda's were still valid.

"Sacraments and ceremonies such as weddings carried out at St Hilda's are, of course, valid, because they were carried out by priests."

Dr Stephen Barton, a theology lecturer at Durham University, said: "Carrying out a consecration sets a building or person aside as holy.

"A church which has not been consecrated is essentially just a building, although a church is really the people who make up the congregation.

"I have never heard of anything like this before. I can only imagine it was a simple oversight."