A CHURCH is to start lending books in a village which lost its mobile library due to council cuts.

About 500 books will be available when the service starts at Ball Green Methodist Church and Chatterley Centre.

A room has been measured up for shelving and is due to be kitted out with sofas and chairs so people can relax while browsing.

Church administrator Jeanette Hill will oversee the running of the library and books will be signed in and out to villagers.

Jeanette, who has worked at the church since April, is eager to make the project work.

She said: "Due to council cutbacks, the mobile library is not in the village any more and people do miss it.

"We have a small meeting room at the church, which is underused. We have been in touch with the council and they have 500 books available for us.

"Every four to six weeks, they are going to swap our stock and if people want to request anything in particular we could put a request in. They have been absolutely wonderful.

"We have a lovely centre which could be used a little bit more. We are happy to give up the room.

"It's a shame when people have depended on a service like the mobile library and then it is taken away."

In 2009/10, the city-wide mobile library received 11,193 visits.

But Stoke-on-Trent City Council axed the service this year and shut libraries in Fenton and Burslem to save £191,000 as part of £35.6 million budget cuts.

The church library will be open when Jeanette is at work, currently four mornings a week, but she will change her hours if people would prefer evening openings.

More volunteers could also be drafted in to cover the library if readers felt it was necessary.

David Wright, chairman of Ball Green and Ridgway Residents' Association is also a member of the church, and supports the project.

He said: "We're trying to bring the library facility we used to have back to the village.

"We're hoping it will take off. As a church, we'll be responsible for paying for the shelving and the lending of the books. We're happy to try this."

Councillor Mark Meredith, cabinet member for economic development, said: "The city council has been approached by the Ball Green Methodist Church to see if we can help with their plans to set up a community library.

"Our officers visited their site to see what assistance we can offer and agreed to loan 500 books for them to start their own collection.

"While we are not in the position to help with any of the other financial and logistical issues a new library set-up may create, we have provided the organisers with contact details for suppliers who can fit shelves.

"I hope that with the help the city council has provided, this community library can hit the ground running and bring enjoyment to those who use it."

Staffordshire County Council is now providing a mobile library service in outlying parts of Stoke-on-Trent on behalf of the city council.

The library visits Baddeley Green, Norton, Norton Green, Milton, Abbey Hulton and Packmoor on a three-weekly rota.

The service will be provided for the next two years at a cost of £10,000.