A new, online system to help look after the county's historic churches has been launched.

A 'Mission and Mortar' online toolkit will help parishes identify how to make better use of their buildings and how to care for them.

The project is possible thanks to a £39,300 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

There are 405 historic church buildings across the diocese, which covers Herefordshire, south Shropshire and parts of Worcestershire, Monmouthshire and Powys.

Mission and Mortar will help communities identify new and existing resources to look after these historic buildings, enabling them to continue acting as a focal point for worshippers, while also serving the wider community.

The online tool is being trialled with a small selection of churches and communities in the Black Mountains and Golden Valley area before being extended across the whole diocese later in the year.

Wendy Coombey, Community Partnership and Funding Officer for the Diocese, said: “Churches in our pilot area are excited to see how the tool will help inform their decision-making when it comes to ensuring their building has a practical and sustainable future.”