THE rector of a parish church undergoing a £140,000 renovation project says regular income is needed to keep it open as he admits "resources are stretched".

The Rev Kevin Wright was speaking as work progresses on St Mary's Church, East Brent.

He said a "significant initial personal donation" and "other generous gifts" had enabled a scheme to make the roof watertight and weatherproof to begin last spring.

The first phase of the work to the north aisle roof, aided by a £50,000 grant from Viridor Credits, was completed last summer, preventing further damage to the Jacobean plaster ceiling in the nave and other valuable artefacts.

Viridor Credits is putting up a further £10,000 for repairs to the south side of the porch, with work starting this month and due to be finished by Easter.

In the meantime, the chancel roof at the east end has also been repaired with funding mostly coming from the Church Commissioners, who are responsible for this section of the building.

As with most village church buildings like this, it is mainly the responsibility of the local parish to maintain the majority of the fabric.

The parish of Three Saints has three notable historic buildings.

The Rev Kevin Wright said: “Thanks to generous donations and grants, it has been very pleasing to be able to stop the rot of the roof and make this beautiful building sound again.

"We’re not going to be the generation to let these places of worship close if we can help it, but resources are stretched.

"Churches like this stand as testament to a real faith practised here for centuries and, while worship does not require a building and we often worship in the open air, the historicity in the stones stands as a public witness to a living faith in Jesus, the same yesterday today and forever.

"We need to find regular income for the buildings to keep them open.”