A GRANT of £10,000 has been awarded to a local church.

Holy Cross church in Middlezoy has been given the funds from the National Churches Trust for urgent repairs to the roof.

The church is one of four Somerset churches, amongst 29 across the UK, to benefit from the latest grants from the church support charity.

Alongside this, £6,000 has also been given to St Peter’s church in Combwich to fund repairs to the spire and enable the church, which is currently on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register, to reopen.

Huw Edwards, vice-president of the National Churches Trust, said: "I’m delighted that the Grade I Listed Holy Cross church in Middlezoy- an excellent example of a mediaeval church with parts dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries- is being helped by a £10,000 National Churches Trust Repair Grant.

"This will help fund a project to carry our urgent roof repairs and ensure that this much loved church will be available for public worship and community use for the foreseeable future.

"At the heart of the nation’s history and at the centre of local communities, churches and chapels are some of the UK's best loved local buildings, but their future is not guaranteed”

"The financial and practical support provided by the National Churches Trust helps many of UK’s churches, chapels and meeting houses continue to flourish at the heart of their communities by preserving their architecture and keeping their facilities up to date.

"Everyone can make a contribution to the future of the UK's churches and chapels by volunteering to help look after these precious buildings.

"If you’ve got practical skills you could help clear drains and gutters, if you are a good communicator you could help show people the history and architecture of a local church or you could simply be a good neighbour and keep an eye out for vandals or thieves.

"Churches and chapels may be historic buildings, but they can be part of our future, too."

Holy Cross is a mediaeval church with parts dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, as well as significant 15th and early 16th century work including the roofs, tower, rood screen and bench ends.

Historically the building is connected with the Monmouth Rebellion and the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685.

The grant will see the roof covering replaced, the nave ceiling plaster renewed and overhauled and roof and ceiling structures repaired, with new insulation added.