Two ministers have voiced their support for their church’s decision to allow same-sex marriage.

Rev Richard Mortimer and Rev Ulrike Bell of the Forest Group of the United Reformed Church backed the decision to allow same sex couples to marry.

The United Reformed Church’s general assembly voted to allow same-sex couples to marry in their building, making it the largest Christian organisation in the UK to allow same-sex marriage.

The decision to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies will be left up to individual churches.

Rev Mortimer said the decision had been reached “following a huge pack of research”.

He said: “I am very happy to be part of the church that is finding a way of allowing this.

“But we will not be registering as part of this because of the cost.

“It is a lot of money but we wish other churches who want to register well.

 “The church wants to do something to go forward while remaining in fellowship with churches that do not.”

Rev Mortimer, who has preached at the United Reformed Churches in Waltham Forest for three years, was ordained as a minister 37 years ago.

The Forest Group of the United Reformed Church oversees five churches in Highams Park, Chingford, Buckhurst Hill and Woodford Green.

Rev Ulrike Bell, who also preaches to the URC congregation in Woodford Green, supports the decision.

She said: “I would be all for it. I strongly believe every person is made in God’s image and all of us are meant to be the way we are.”

The United Reformed Church has about 56,000 members and is a protestant church with roots in Presbyterianism.

The URC was formed in 1972 and has 1,400 congregations in the UK.

In 2014 the The United Free Church, in Wallwood Road in Leytonstone became the first church in Waltham Forest to host same-sex marriage ceremonies.