A former insurance company's offices will be used by a Christian sect to store Bibles.

Jehovah's Witnesses have bought 1 Elstree Way in Borehamwood, formerly known as Pinnacle Place, from Cardif Pinnacle for £4,928,000.

The building will be used by the International Bible Students Association, a corporation run by the Jehovah's Witnesses, which distributes Bibles and other religious literature.

The non-profit organisation currently operates from properties throughout Mill Hill and Borehamwood, with headquarters in The Ridgeway in Mill Hill.

It employs 700 people in printing, storing and distributing religious literature throughout Britain, Europe and Africa.

A spokesman for the Jehovah’s Witnesses said the association had outgrown its existing premises and had bought the large building to consolidate its operations.

The organisation will use the building to store magazines, pamphlets and Bibles, as well as making full use of the office space.

However, it will continue to maintain its headquarters in Mill Hill, where the literature is printed.

The sale went through in December and the International Bible Students Association is currently preparing the building so it can move in.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are best known for their door-to-door evangelical work, offering Bible literature and recruiting and converting people to their beliefs.

The spokesman for the movement said: “We are all about Bible education and we print biblical literature to distribute around the world.

“The people of Borehamwood will probably not notice anything different as we are making no changes to the actual building, which is why we did not need planning permission.”