Cash boost for crumbling churches

Four historic churches in the north-east of England are to receive more than £150,000 in a scheme to protect crumbling buildings.

English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund announced the grants.

Among those to receive funding are St Mary the Virgin, at Stannington, and St Cuthbert's at Greenhead, which are both in Northumberland.

St Lawrence's Church, in Middleton St George, Teesdale, and Darlington's St James the Great Church, also benefit.

An active fundraising committee at St Mary the Virgin has raised more than £160,000 in two years for work including rewiring and installing new lighting at the church, which was built in 1871.

Roof repairs

It receives a £26,000 grant towards repairing the church's tower roof access, drainage and work to the roof, nave, chancel and vestry.

St Cuthbert's receives £15,000 for a number of repairs including roofing, gutter repairs and stained glass. It comes after fundraisers raised more than £7,000 for repairs.

St Lawrence's Church has already received £7,000 and has now been awarded £51,000 to underpin the west gable wall, repointing fractured masonry and replacing guttering.

The £87,000 for St James the Great Church will be used for roof repairs and is in addition to the £7,000 it has already received.