Preston, Lancashire the many large active Roman Catholic parish churches is St Thomas of Canterbury and the English Martyrs, located on Garstang Road. Preston was the location of the world's first foreign mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (commonly known as the Mormons). As early as 1837 the first Mormon missionaries to Great Britain began preaching in Preston and, in particular, other small towns situated along the River Ribble. Preston is home to the world's oldest continuous branch (a small congregation) of the LDS Church. An official memorial to the church pioneers may be found in the
Preston Greyhound Stadium of Farringdon, Humphreys, Mengala and Mercer. In 1972 there was a major fire which resulted in serious damage to the main stand and required a significant rebuild. Sister track Derby suffered a shortage of dogs in 1976 which resulted in the Preston trainers supplying greyhounds for the track. In May 1978 Preston itself was suffering from financial troubles and was forced to close but would re-open the same year under independent rules (unaffiliated to a governing body). The track remained independent for ten years offering a significant prize of £2,500 to the winner of the annual Preston Derby. The owner