The Salvation Army has closed its church in Sheerness High Street after nearly 140 years of serving Sheppey.

More than 70 people took part in the final service on Sunday led by Lt Rebecca Zund. But it was too little too late.

Miss Zund, 32, said: “It was heartbreaking. It is always very sad to close a church and a difficult decision to make. But it was the right thing to do at this time.

“For years we had been punching above our weight. But you can’t have a church without people. At the end, our core was down to six people.

“Hopefully, this will be like pruning a garden. It will encourage new growth to flourish.

“But it was beautiful so many wanted to pay their respects at the last service.”

Among the congregation were former officers and Sunday school children. Some came from as far as Liverpool.

The Chatham Salvation Army Band provided the music.

During the service the church’s flag was pulled down, folded and handed to divisional leader for the south east Major Mark Herbert and his wife Linda.

Miss Zund, originally from Zurich in Switzerland, took over the church in July 2013 after working in Mexico before moving to London in 2011.

She said: “I have loved Sheppey. It was my first appointment and has left a hand-print on my heart.

“I have loved the people who made me laugh and cry and sometimes frustrated me. But they taught me to become a better officer.”

She takes up a new appointment in Hastings on Thursday, October 5.

Many of the congregation has now switched to other Island churches and the food bank has been taken over by Holy Trinity Church in Sheerness Broadway.

Miss Zund said: “Hopefully the spirit of the Salvation Army will live on in other churches. Jesus never said following Him would be easy. But at the end of the day He will provide whatever we need.”

Among those at the final service was 80-year-old Olive Long of Parsonage Chase, Minster, who had devoted her life to the Army.

This week she said: “I’d rather not comment. I am still feeling very emotional about it.”

She was presented with a bouquet for long service by Joyce Boulton of Berridge Road, Sheerness.

Mrs Boulton, 56, one of 10 children from the Enright family, said: “I felt it was important to recognise all the work Olive has done. She gave up her life to help others. My heart went out to her.

“Every weekend when we were kids growing up in West Minster the church would send a minibus for us to go to Sunday school. Sometimes in the summer it would take us on trips to Margate.

“It was known for its brass band and would work with vulnerable people, help find missing persons and organised the Sheppey food bank.”