Roof work to start at old church

Long-awaited work to restore the roof of an historic Grade I listed church in Stourbridge is finally set to begin in the autumn after years of fundraising to raise the £186,000 needed for the vital repairs.

Leaders and worshippers at St Thomas's Church, in Market Steet, are celebrating after plans for the roof were approved by officials from English Heritage.

Donations of £90,000 were raised towards the work by residents and the conservation charity agreed to provide £65,000 needed towards design and construction earlier in January this year.

The last few months have been taken up with getting plans for the roof drawn up by experts and sending them to English Heritage for final approval.

Officials gave a green light to the scheme, allowing church leaders to put the work out to tender and find the best firm to carry out the project.

Once a construction firm has been found and once again approved by English Hertage the work can finally begin, with leaders expecting the project to be under way by the autumn.

It was a double week to celebrate for the church after plans for repairs to the building's Georgian ceiling were also approved, with the work now earmarked for next year.

Church leaders say they are confident of raising the remaining cash in time for that work to begin.