Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell has appealed to church leaders to keep a youth club open in their church hall despite months of unpaid rent.

The youth club at St Martin's Church Hall has come under threat of closure as it is claimed that Nunsthorpe Together owes £140,000 in unpaid rent to the Parochial Church Council.

According to the Grimsby Telegraph, Mr Mitchell met with church leaders on Friday to discuss the situation.

He asked them to permit the youth club to remain in their hall until a new facility is found.

"I have urged them to keep the church hall going and wipe out the debt," he said.

"They should not close it until we have a new facility which is proposed for the old St Mary's School on Wootton Road.

"Nunsthorpe Together provides an important service. It has to be kept. It is clear they are unhappy with the situation, but there has to be a compromise."

A £1 million community hub is being proposed at a former Catholic school.

A bid for a £600,000 grant to support the project has been submitted to the European Regional Development Fund.

A PCC spokesman previously told the Grimsby Telegraph: "Nunsthorpe Together has never held a proper lease for the church hall. One was drawn up years ago but never signed.

"There are a lot of background problems and complications, but one of the main issues has been finance.

"As an act of goodwill, we have already asked around and looked for other venues to house the group if the decision was taken to move them out. Unfortunately, no one has come back to us."