A GRADE II listed church in the centre of Pontypool will return to the auction house on Thursday, July 28, a month after it failed to sell the first time around.

The Mount Pleasant Church on Hanbury Road went under the hammer in June, but bids of £60,000 to £70,000 were not enough to pass the £75,000 minimum reserve.

Now, the church has a guide price of £65,000 plus, and will be sold by Newport-based auctioneers Paul Fosh Auctions at 5pm at the Park Inn Hotel in Llanedeyrn.

The site, which dates back over 1,110 years, belongs to Victor Owens, a former Gwent Police officer and current reverend, and his wife, Liz.

The couple bought the church in 2006 but are selling the church as they are increasingly spending more time in South America on missionary work and their holiday home in France.

Previously, Mr Owens has said that he would like to see the building re-used for creative purposes, adding that it would be ideal as a performing or arts centre of some kind.