A HUGE grant has been given to a congregation in Driffield, near Cirencester, to help with essential repairs to their church tower.

A total of £36,900 was awarded for work on St Mary’s, the Grade II listed building in the village, which is currently in a state of disrepair.

The grant to St Mary’s is one of 502 from a total funding package of £30million that was announced for urgent roof repairs for places of worship by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Rector of the church Rev John Swanton explained: “The tower and the tower roof need a fair amount of attention and last year the church was put on the English Heritage at risk register because of the masonry work that needs doing.

“We are a small parish of about 168 and we have got two Grade II listed buildings to look after, both of which need some work and attention.

The costs of repairing the roof has been estimated at around £40,000 and last year the church also spent about £5,000 on installing new guttering.

Rev Swanton said he was very pleased that the money had been granted to the church and thanked David Lowbridge and Sue Philips for masterminding the application to the government’s Listed Places of Worship: Roof Repair Fund.

The parish is also trying to raise funds for works to nearby Church of St Michael and All Angels, Harnhill and will receive cash from three Music in Country Churches concerts in The Church of St Mary the Virgin in Fairford.

The concerts will be on May 22 and May 23. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/1Cgpgoy Donations to the fund to repair both churches can also be posted to The Rectory, Ampney Crucis, GL7 5RY.