A GROUP of Christians without a church solved a baptisms problem by installing a sheep dip at a sports centre.

History was made at Leominster's Bridge Street Sports Centre when 12 people underwent a baptismal ducking in a 400-gallon farm tank of the type made for sheep dipping.

The event - staged by the temporarily 'homeless' New Life Community Church - was a first at the centre.

Fully clothed people submerged themselves making a memorable splash. Friends baptised friends, including a former Sikh baptised by a former Muslim.

Sikh-born Parmjit Kaur from Middlesex, in Leominster to see a friend's daughter baptised, unexpectedly decided she wanted to take the plunge.

Her Leominster friend, Rayeesa Asghar-Sandys, a former Muslim who embraced Christianity in recent years, stepped forward.

Rayeesa, 39, a former London police officer said it turned out to be a very special day.

"My husband Richard baptised our eight-year-old daughter Farah. Our three-year-old daughter Leah insisted she too wanted to be baptised, and was. It was a triple celebration for us all."

Rayeesa, who also has a six-year-old-son, Peter, added: "It was a very big step for Parmjit just as it was for me. I was ostracised by many of my family when I became a Christian - my parents are strict Muslims.

"I love my family and I knew it was going to cause problems but I could not live a lie."

The New Life congregation hopes to build its own church soon but is holding Sunday services in the sports centre function room.

"Our members carried the sheep dip up to the first floor room and filled it with 400 gallons of water," said Rayeesa. "It was placed on a specially designed platform to evenly distribute 1 tonnes in weight!"