A GROUP set up to help gay people has been banned from a Huddersfield Catholic centre.

Brunswick Centre staff have been told to find alternative accommodation after being thrown out of St Patrick's Catholic Centre.

The Brunswick Centre runs support groups for gay and bisexual men.

It had been sub-letting a room to hold a weekly four-hour meeting in the Trinity Street centre from Cultures United, who let from the church.

The Examiner understands it was pointed out to Cultures United that their tenancy agreement with the church stated nothing should take place that was incompatible with the Catholic faith.

Brunswick Centre manager John McKernaghan said: "People think that with civil partnerships and equality laws things like this have gone away.

"We have been asked not to use the premises any more. That has come from the Catholic Church.

"Many of the men who use our service are vulnerable and have health and social care needs.

"I would have thought if the Catholic Church had any concern for people's wellbeing they could get by their own prejudices."

The Catholic Church says homosexual acts are unnatural and prevent the possibility of procreation.

It also says homosexuals should be precluded from marriage or sexually active committed relationships.

But the church does recognise that some people are born with homosexual tendencies and it condemns acts of violence or familial rejection towards homosexuals.

The Brunswick group had been using the centre for a number of months when the bombshell was dropped six weeks ago.

Mr McKernaghan said: "We are now looking for somewhere else in the town centre.

"Cultures United have been really helpful. In fact, they have been tremendous in helping us in the meantime."

A spokesman from the Leeds Catholic Diocese said Cultures United had told him they needed use of the room and had therefore terminated the contact with the Brunswick Centre.

He said the letting of the room was Cultures United's concern and had nothing to do with the church.

Cultures United would not comment.

Cultures United was formed in 2003 to lease the centre's top floor as a home for seven groups.