Spire returns to village church

The shell of the spire was attached to the church

A spire on a mid Wales church has been restored - more than 25 years after it was demolished.

Villagers in Boughrood, Powys, raised £30,000 to build the new spire at St Cynog's church.

Parishioners had to pay for the spire to be demolished in the 1970s after it was declared unsafe.

The new 50ft-high church spire was lifted into place by crane on Monday, after being pieced together nearby.

Villagers gathered to watch the new spire being put on the church, which was built in 1854 on the site of a medieval churchyard.

Parishioners raised the £30,000 needed to restore the church in just over 12 months.

Many of the village's children had conributed pocket money to the spire fund.

The church has been without a spire for 25 years

The vicar of St Cynog's, the Reverend Ian Charlesworth, said the fund-raising effort began at the time of the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak which affected the rural village.

He said: "We started just as foot and mouth was at its height, with the collection boxes going around under restrictions.

"(It was) a very difficult time for everybody, but at the same time the fundraising events that came towards the end of that period gave an opportunity for everyone to get together to celebrate that we had got through it all."

Mr Charlesworth added that the return of the spire was a major event for the small village.

The spire was lowered onto the church by crane

"I think it (the spire) meant an enormous amount," he said.

"(There was) a real sense of all the hard work being worthwhile and a great spectacular event with a huge crane which certainly appealed to the children."

Church treasurer, Sue Wheeler, added: "It's a beacon of hope really, because the future holds so much for so many people around here after the devastating effects of foot and mouth.

"It's something for us to look forward to."