GENEROUS donations from as far afield as Birmingham look to have saved a village church from collapse.

An emergency appeal was launched when large cracks were found in the west wing of Hollybush Church in November.

The parochial church council could not meet the £25,000 repair bill with its £4,000 reserves, and asked for donations to save the building from falling down.

Roger Dobson, treasurer of the PCC, said so far an estimated £11,000 has been gathered.

Appeals for funding are also being made to a range of grant-giving bodies to support the appeal.

Work has started on the church and is due to be completed in around a month's time.

It involves pinning the collapsing wall to its own foundations, and also to the north and south walls.

Had the PCC not received the donations, the church might have had to close permanently.

Mr Dobson said he was "amazed" by the response, but the job is not over yet and more money is needed to ensure repairs can be completed.

"We will keep battling," he said. "There's light at the end of the tunnel."

Mr Dobson said he thought the character of the church had given it a place in peoples' affections.

"I think a lot of people love Hollybush Church," he said. "It's a very homely little church, really."

The Malvern stone church, officially called All Saints, is known locally as "the Quarrymen's Church", after the Hollybush Quarry workers who attended it. It was designed by Frederick Preedy, and consecrated in 1869.

Anyone wishing to make a donation should contact him on 01531 650308.