Landmark church to get facelift

The church built in 1816 is known locally as 'top church'.

A landmark church in Dudley is to get a facelift thanks to grants totalling nearly half a million pounds.

Chemicals in the atmosphere have caused the spire at St Thomas Parish Church in Dudley High Street to deteriorate and it needs replacing.

English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund have awarded a total of £463,000 for the repairs to be done.

Once the spire is finished, fundraising will start to raise money so the rest of the 175ft church can be renovated.

Rev Tony Attwood from the church said: "Chemicals in the air have eaten away the stonework and it needs both cleaning and repairing, and in some cases replacing."

'Very successful'

'Top church' as it is known locally was built in 1816 using tixall sandstone, a widely used building stone from mid-Staffordshire, to face the brickwork.

Churchwarden Alan Fradgley said the church was fortunate to get the money.

He said: "It would take a phenomenal time to raise that sort of money... with jumble sales, bric-a-brac.

"What we've had to do is to look at different charities and apply for grants and fortunately we've been very, very successful."