A CHURCHWARDEN has praised a community for its generosity after thousands of pounds were donated to save a historic Dalton building in its hour of need.

Since February, Barbara Irwin, Bernard Rigg, Joan Milburn and Beverley Louw have been encouraging people to give money to help buy new slates for the leaking roof at St Mary's Church in Dalton.

After 10 months of fundraising, which has seen them let members of the community sign a slate for £5, the quartet have managed to amass £11,640 which has secured the future of the church.

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Mrs Irwin said: "The congregation and the community have been fantastic and we want to thank everybody that has supported us. We didn't think we would get anywhere near this amount in such a short space of time.

"The fundraising proves that the church does mean something to this community."

Donations have been received from organisations across the community with Chapel Street Infants and Nursery School and St Mary's School giving in excess of £700 in return for allowing their pupils to sign the slates.

A fundraising night at the Newton Arms in October also made £345 with the pub selflessly giving another £1,000 towards the cause but it was an an anonymous donation of £5,000 which really helped to boost the appeal.

Despite the wave of success, Mrs Irwin is still keep to add to the kitty so that the church building can be maintained in the months and years to come.

The 70-year-old said: "We still need to refurbish the church centre as it needs a bit of a facelift and a new lick of paint so any extra money we get will go towards that.

"The church is pretty much safe now. It's usable and it's warm enough but we still need money coming in to make sure that it doesn't deteriorate. It would be nice to have one final push so that we have got money to keep the heating on and preserve the church over winter."

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The church is also set to get its first permanent vicar in more than a year with reverend canon Ruth Crossley of St. John's Church in Levens set to be appointed as the new priest-in-charge of St. Mary's in Dalton & St Peter's church in Ireleth from February.

Mrs Irwin added: "The churchwardens have tried their hardest this year and we have kept the congregation together hopefully. There haven't been many people who have stopped coming so we must be doing something right.

"If we can support Ruth with her ministry we can expand the congregation and maintain strong links with the community."

FACTS ABOUT ST MARY'S CHURCH

The church building is more than 800 years old but the current layout was designed in 1885.

It is a designated Grade II listed building

In the churchyard is a slate grave slab standing on a limestone plinth to the memory of the artist George Romney, who was born in the town and died in 1802.

There is a ring of 10 bells which were all cast in 1927.

A parish centre was built adjacent to the church in 1980.