A campaign to save Maryport’s iconic harbourside Christ Church, which recently closed, is gathering steam.

The church has been hit by spiralling costs and a falling congregation.

Maryport Town Council has now joined the growing battle to save the church and a petition has been launched.

The council agreed this week to write to the church authorities about the possibility of it being leased at a peppercorn rent for use as an art gallery, museum or visitor centre.

Team rector, the Rev Canon Gill Hart, said the parochial church council was awaiting a report on the future use of the building.

It would consider whether it would be possible to put it to community use, or may be sold or not reused at all.

She said the church was not safe at present and it would cost about £120,000 just to be open it to the public again before any maintenance costs were considered.

At a town council meeting this week, mayor Peter Kendall said Christ Church was an important landmark in the town.

He said: “There must be some way to find another use for it. I would hate to see it demolished.”

Councillor Gill Elliot said LS Lowry used the church in nine of his paintings of Maryport and as a template in other church scenes which he painted.

She suggested it might be worth contacting the Lowry Society to see if something could be done to help.

Meanwhile Alan Hayton, of Grasslot, who has led a protest against the closure, has now started a petition.

He said: “There is a lot of support for keeping the church. I want it to remain as a church, not an art gallery or museum and I know others feel the same.”

He said he and others were willing to raise money to reopen it.

His petition is addressed to the West Cumbrian Archdeacon, the Venerable Richard Pratt, asking him to intervene.

But Mr Pratt expressed little confidence over the future of the church.

He said: “The fact is that about six people go to Christ Church on a regular basis and they are all elderly and unable to meet the cost of maintaining the church.”

He said St Mary’s Church at Netherhall was within 400 yards and All Souls within 800 yards of that.

He said: “These are both large churches which also have to be maintained. If 100 people went to this church every week then Christ Church would not close.”