An inter-church service has been held in Belfast after a fire destroyed Jennymount Methodist Church earlier this week.

The Jennymount congregation attended a joint service at the nearby Alexandra Presbyterian Church on Sunday.

The Reverend Clifford Wright said his church would do all it could to help.

"Where we can, we are going to try to accommodate them in the short time and perhaps even into the long term," he said.

Accidental

"We are talking about a long period, maybe one and a half to two years of rebuild.

"So certainly from a perspective of Christain love and friendship and unity, I suppose the service today reflects that.

"What we have in common is much more than what divides us we are Presbyterians and Methodists but we both have a common faith in Jesus Christ and that is what brings us together at this time."

Forty families were moved from their homes in nearby streets as the church in North Queen Street burned down.

Centenary

The police and fire service said they believed the blaze was accidental and the minister of the church said he thought it could have been started by a faulty boiler.

Six fire appliances, two turntable ladders and 40 firefighters turned out to tackle the blaze.

However, divisional fire officer Geoff Bannerman said there was little they could do to save the church.

He said the families were moved out of their houses because of the dangers of thick smoke and the potential for the building to collapse.

About 500 families worship in the church.

The minister, the Reverend Jim Lemon, said they were getting ready to celebrate their centenary next year.