£257,000 boost for church repairs

Six historic churches in the north-east of England have been given a cash boost of £257,000 for repairs.

The grants, from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund, will cover the Grade I and II listed buildings.

Holy Cross Church in Ryton, Gateshead, is to receive the largest amount. Some of the £81,000 will be used to restore its rare stained glass windows.

The other beneficiaries are in Northumberland, Stockton, Jarrow and Houghton-le-Spring.

The cash is part of a £17.5m package awarded to 153 churches and chapels across England from National Lottery funds.

Grant breakdown Holy Cross, Ryton - £81,000 Church of St Paul, Jarrow - £73,000 Stockton Parish Church - £38,000 St Michael's Ilderton - £37,000 St Michael's and All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring - £16,000 Church of St Giles, Chollerton - £12,000

Carol Pyrah, English Heritage planning and development regional director for the North East, said: "The financial support which English Heritage provides to maintain places of worship is not just about preserving bricks and mortar, but also about showing support for the communities around them.

"Often it is quite a small group of people - people like the Friends of Ryton Holy Cross Church - who are solely responsible for maintaining these fine historic buildings.

"Our task is to support this dedication by working with them to target the work appropriately and ensure that these buildings remain at the centre of their communities for as long as possible."