Repair money for ailing churches

Dozens of churches have been given grants

A 14th Century Leicestershire church with a leaning spire is getting a cash injection of £122,000 for repairs.

The Church of St John the Baptist in Belton will use the money for a steeplejack investigation, rebuilding of the spire and masonry repairs.

Churches and chapels across the East Midlands are getting £1.7m from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery fund.

Grants have also been made to six churches in Lincs, five in Northants, four in Derbys and three in Notts.

English Heritage last year launched a campaign called Inspired, which showed that collectively the country's historic places of worship are facing an outstanding repair bill of nearly £1bn in the next five years.

Other East Midlands grants include:

£80,000 for St Mary's Church in Sutton Scarsdale, Derbyshire which dates back to the early 14th Century

£46,000 for the 11th Century St Mary the Virgin church in Dodford Northamptonshire. This church is Grade I listed and is of outstanding and exceptional historical importance

£82,000 for the stunning Church of St Mary in Hainton, Lincolnshire which dates back to the Saxo-Norman period for repairs to severe water damage and roof reslating

£127,000 for the Church of Holy Trinity in Kirton, Nottinghamshire for reslating of the nave and north aisle roofs