The holy war among conservatives and liberals in a small Pembroke church took a strange twist yesterday when VSB News withdrew claims the right wing had won the long running court case.

VSB ran a story on Monday night and yesterday morning with interviews with several Grace Methodist members claiming they had won an appeal before the Court of Appeal.

The interviewees were people who backed moves to split from the ruling Canadian Synod because it backs the ordination of homosexuals and other liberal policies.

Although a 1998 ruling by the Supreme Court backed the rebels - led by lay preacher Willard Lightbourne - that judgement for control was overturned by the Court of Appeal in a judgement handed down in July.

And lawyer Tim Marshall said yesterday he was gearing up for a fresh court fight to help his clients get back control of the church in North Shore Road, Pembroke from the hard-liners who presently still hold services there.

He said he had not been contacted about the radio claims which had baffled him.

Last night VSB News Director Bryan Darby, who had conducted the interviews, explained how he had got the story so wrong.

He said the Willard and Gwyneth Lightbourne, joined by two supporters, had called VSB because they were publishing a book on their "successful court battle".

Mr. Darby said he asked them if there had been a result in the case. "They said they had won. I asked them why there was nothing in the paper.

"They said they had won, they answered my questions without blinking. I have now seen the judgement, we didn't have a copy, we took their word."

He said: "I still think they are sincere but they were mislead by their obsession. It's been a rough time for them.

"But I don't know how you can be misled. The appeal judgement is quite clear, they are back to square one. I would have thought they would have told me that."

Last night Mr. Lightbourne was sticking to his story although he appeared confused about where the legal action stood.

He told The Royal Gazette: "We won the appeal. If they want to appeal higher than the courts here they would have to appeal to the Privy Council. As far as we are concerned the case is completed. We are still there."

Mr. Lightbourne then said he believed the original case, which his side had won, had been "set aside" to allow the liberal faction to launch their appeal.

He added: "I don't think they could appeal now time has expired."

Current Grace Methodist Church Minister, The Reverend Alan Walker said: "I am very much in the dark about this story."

He refused to comment further and referred The Royal Gazette to the rebel group's lawyer Sonia Grant who failed to return calls.

Emmanuel Methodist Church Rev. Graeme Carruth said Methodist church members throughout the Island had been troubled by the VSB story.

He said: "This came on the airwaves without consideration of the impact on ordinary Bermudian people, that's what got me. People called in distress."

He said he had up to a dozen calls while he believes others may have tried to call but not left messages. "I am clearing my machine, there's not enough space."