VILLAGERS are delighted a four-month-long church steeple renovation project is drawing to a close.

The steeple's poor state-of-repair at All Saints Church, Burton-in-Lonsdale, was allowing water to leak into the building through gaps where the roof shingles had blown off.

In order to fund the repair project, worshippers raised £60,000, with help from donations and interest-free loans from village residents and local supporters.

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"We are delighted. It has been a real community effort," said church warden Ann Whitworth. "The whole community rallied to the cause. They love the church because it is the centrepiece of the whole village."

Another £100,000 was provided by the the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Listed Places of Worship Roof Fund.

Repair work carried out on the tower and the roof ensures that the congregation no longer need to worry about water getting into the church's valuable bells.

This comes as a relief, as it is not long since the bells were last restored - an expensive process in itself.

Ms Whitworth said: "The shingles were repaired a few times over the last few years but each time winds came and another batch blew off.

"Every time it was windy I'd be lying in bed wondering how many more would blow off and whose garden they would end up in.

"It was terrible."

The scaffolding, which went up in October 2015, is due to come down over the next week.

As well as the steeple renovations, the historic church is due to have the rest of its roof and its gutters repaired.

Consecrated in 1870, All Saints Parish Church is a two-star listed building and was designed by architects Paley & Austin of Lancaster.

The specialist repair work to the cedar roof shingles was carried out by Lambert Walker Ltd, of Preston.