Church saved for congregation of six

The grant will be used to rebuild the church tower

A tiny church with a congregation of just six has been rescued from the brink of ruin.

St Cuthbert's Church in the small community of Carham, near Coldstream in Northumberland, is in need of major repairs.

Now, the Church of England-owned building is to benefit from a £185,000 grant from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

St Cuthbert's is one of eight churches in the north-east of England to receive grants totalling £662,000.

Local farmer Billy Potts has been churchwarden at Carham for almost 40 years.

He has been the driving force behind a huge effort to win funding to repair the 200-year-old church.

Famous battle

St Cuthbert's is situated on the River Tweed flood plain, and it is thought wet spring weather has caused the foundations to creep, eventually creating cracking in the 15-metre high tower.

The church is now considered too dangerous for it's small but devoted congregation to worship in.

Mr Potts said: "The grant money will mean that the tower can be dismantled and rebuilt.

"It is terrific news for the people of Carham who use this church as a place of worship."

The tower was added to the original building in 1870.

Carham was the site of a famous battle on the 11th Century, which helped to define the borders of Scotland and England.