A TOTTENHAM priest has jumped to the rescue of two threatened churches.

Reverend Dr Friday Nwator, of the Pentecostal London Miracle Centre, has offered to help save the Good Shepherd Church in Berwick Road, Wood Green, and St Gabriel's in Bounds Green Road, Bounds Green.

Last week, the Independent exclusively revealed how the Good Shepherd was to be shut down and rebuilding work on St Gabriel's was to halt in a bid to cut costs.

After hearing of the two congregations' plight, Dr Nwator offered to help.

He declared: 'I want to talk to the Bishop about taking over the churches and organise the people.'

Dr Nwator, of the London Miracle Centre, Broad Lane, which has a 150-strong congregation, wants to utilise the Good Shepherd and help the rebuilding process at St Gabriel's.

He added: 'It is good to settle God's thing in an amicable way. If we pray we will get money for God's work.

'Money should never be an obstacle. We want to settle this peacefully and arrange how the people of Wood Green will have worship.

'If the Bishop can give us a church we will take care of it.'

Dr Nwator is to contact the Bishop of Edmonton, Rt Rev Peter Wheatley, to discuss the situation.

Rev Jonathan Kester, a spokesman for the Bishop of Edmonton, admitted: 'If it can be used for another denomination we are open to offers.'

Currently, the two congregations will have to relocate to either St Michael's, Wood Green, or St Michael-at-Bowes, Bounds Green.

Rev Kester added: 'We felt it was the best use of our resources. We have only got a certain amount of funds.

'It is something that is done regrettably and with sadness but these things cost a lot of money to keep going.'

But John Waller, secretary of St Gabriel's District Church Council, fumed: 'The Bishop of Edmonton has traumatised people and many are so fatigued that they are walking away.'

Former rector of Wood Green, the Bishop of Fulham, Rt Rev John Broadhurst, conceded: 'It is a pity but the truth is that the development came unstuck.

'It is not for the want of trying.'