A CHURCH in need will hold a 10-hour-long music marathon to help pay for a five-figure renovation bill.

St George's Church in Millom has to pay back a £25,000 loan taken out to pay for the removal of asbestos found during the replacement of its heating system.

The music marathon has been organised to celebrate its reopening and start paying back the huge sum of money it owes.

Priest-in-charge of Millom Benefice, the Reverend Clive Shaw, said: "I just approached all the people I could think of in Millom who made music. I set myself a challenge."

That challenge was to create an event which would fill the refurbished church with some of the best music in Millom. It will also be a unique way of paying back the loans the church took out to pay for the work.

Some of the acts set to play include the Junior Holborn Hill Brass Band, the Millom Folk Dance Society, and singers from local schools.

In total there will be 20 acts performing inside the church over the course of the day.

The discovery of asbestos cladding on the church's pipes came as an expensive shock to the parish.

Mr Shaw said: "The total cost of the project was about £100,000. We will receive VAT back, we used some reserves and had some very generous loans.

"People have missed the church, not just regular Sunday worshippers but also the people who consider it their local church for a christening, wedding or funeral."

The church was fortunate as some of the costs were covered by the Church of England, and from generous benefactors.

However, even after claiming back VAT there will still be a £25,000 debt burdening the church. Churchgoers hope their music marathon will be the first step to repaying that debt.

Mr Shaw said; "People are very generous in Millom and they are proud of their heritage. People will see this as a one-off massive project to keep the church warm not just for the next few years, but for decades."

The marathon will start this Saturday, January 28 at 10am, and will go on until 8pm.

People are encouraged to donate what they can to help the church. There will be collection boxes in the church and Mr Shaw said cheques can be made out to "St George's DCC".

Click here to visit the JustGiving page for St George's.

Read more about the renovation saga at St George's:

An unholy row broke out over the plans to install a new heating system at St George's

Asbestos found inside a Grade II listed church means its doors will remain closed

For the first time in its history, St Geroge's would not be open during Christmas