‘Angel’ sighted at Gateshead church

Worshippers at a Gateshead church have come up with a fresh and unusual way of attracting new people.

Members at St. Georges, on Durham Road in Gateshead, have devised an innovative poster to attract passers-by.

The church is served by the high-frequency ‘Angel’ service operated by Go North East between Newcastle and Durham. The special livery on the fleet of environmentally-friendly diesel-electric hybrid buses celebrates Antony Gormley’s ‘Angel of the North’ sculpture, which it passes on the route.

Reader Stephen Sanders, who has been a member at St. Georges since 1979, had a moment of inspiration when he saw the bright green ‘Angel’ buses.

Mr. Sanders said: “It was one of those things that just happens.”

“I’m always on the look-out for ideas for eye-catching posters and noticed that there’s sixteen ‘Angel’ buses an hour passing our church on weekdays. I was looking for a phrase with a double meaning, but with a little bit of thought I found one with a triple meaning!”

The poster cleverly reads: “Angels frequently visit our church. Why not let an angel bring you?”

Stephen King, head of marketing and retail at Go North East, said: “The church’s poster has caused quite a stir amongst our drivers and passengers. It’s a really clever play on words. The church is on one of our busiest bus routes, right next to a bus stop, so thousands of people get to read it and have a smile each day.”