Churches celebrate repair grants

Two Cumbrian churches are to benefit from more than £200,000 for repairs.

English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund have announced a package of grants for religious buildings.

It includes £127,000 for the Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega, in St Bees, and £89,000 for the church of St Columba in Warcop.

Nationally, grants of more than £1.5m have been awarded to repair 165 Grade I and Grade II historic churches across the country.

English Heritage regional director Henry Owen-John said: "These places of worship have served their local communities for generations and this funding will enable them to carry on doing so."