A CHURCH in Herefordshire is launching an urgent appeal to help with costly repairs, saying if the work wasn't carried out it could have been forced to close.

St Peter's Church in Bromyard showed scaffolding filling the nave and side aisles of the town centre building, meaning contractors can carry out repairs to the ceiling and walls.

A spokesperson for the church said that after comprehensive roof repairs a few years ago, the drying-out process caused pieces of coving and plaster to fall.

"Repairs became imperative, or the church would have to close," they said.

"Visitors may have noticed areas cordoned off as unsafe."

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Costing approaching £60,000 to carry out, the costs are "severely depleting" the church's reserves, with the building itself dating back to the late 12th-century.

It said an urgent appeal for financial help was about to start, as well as seeking help from grant-funding bodies.

"St Peters being a Grade 1 listed building, and indeed incorporating many Norman features as well as some Saxon stone carvings, any work and repairs have to be done carefully, using conservation experts and traditional materials," the spokesperson said.

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"This is no quick job; it will take some four months to complete.

"In the meantime, services are taking place in the Chancel – with access from the car park to the rear – even that area can thankfully accommodate over fifty people for a service."