When members of St Columba and the West Kirk merged in 2011 to form the 1,000-strong congregation of St. Andrew’s Kirk, the existing halls of the Colquhoun Street church were deemed ill-equipped and a fund raising campaign was spearheaded by the now retired Rev David Clark and Rev George Vidits – who recently resigned.

£1.8 million was needed to complete the work on the halls, and work started earlier this year and is still progressing well.

But with the news of a proposed union between St. Andrew’s Kirk and Helensburgh’s Park Church - which would result in the sale of Park Church, manse and its halls - Park Church members hit out claiming the union is due to a ‘financial nature’.

David Mitchell, chairman of the congregation board at St. Andrew’s Kirk, dismissed the claims of a funding shortfall.

He added: “They are completely mistaken, there is no funding shortfall.

“We still have events taking place to continue the fund raising for the church.

“As far as I am personally concerned I would welcome the members of Park, but it is up to the congregations who will vote on Sunday.” A vote on the union of Park Church with St. Andrew’s Kirk is due to take place after morning worship on Sunday, November 23 with a final decision by the Presbytery of Dumbarton on December 2.