£1m in grants for church repairs

More than £18.5m has been given to churches over six years

Thirteen churches across the West Midlands are to benefit from almost £1m in funding for repairs.

One of the main beneficiaries is the Church of St Thomas the Apostle in Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent, for repairs to its roof.

Churches in Birmingham and Leamington Spa also get a major share of the fund. The grants have been put together by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund and is aimed at grade II listed buildings.

CHURCHES RECEIVING FUNDING St Peter's, Staunton-on-Arrow, Herefordshire - £59,000 All Saints, Grinshill, Shropshire - £25,000 At Andrew's, Welsh Frankton, Shropshire - £87,000 Holy Trinity, Wrockwardine Wood, Telford and Wrekin - £29,000 St Mary's, Leek, Staffordshire - £105,000 St Mary and St Laurence, Cauldon, Staffordshire - £32,000 St Paul's, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire - £29,000 St Thomas the Apostle, Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent - £122,000 St Mary's, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire - £136,000 St Francis of Assisi, Bournville, Birmingham - £46000 Assemblies of the First Born Church, Lozells, Birmingham - £152,000 St Jude's, Wolverhampton - £35,000 St George, Worcester, Worcestershire - £101,000

St Thomas's was designed in 1843 by St Pancras station architect George Gilbert Scott, and paid for by Thomas Webb Minton, founder of the Minton tile company.

A Minton tiled floor is an original feature of the building.

Rector Anthony Osborne said it was vital repair work got under way as soon as possible.

"There is still a hole to be filled in our finances if we are to safeguard St Thomas's for future generations, so our fundraising efforts will continue."

Tim Johnston of English Heritage said the grants would make a difference to urgently needed repairs.

"Working with the Heritage Lottery Fund we have pledged more than £18.5m to 240 places of worship in the West Midlands over the last six years."