URGENT work to repair the roofs on both transepts of St Andrew's Church in South Tawton has been estimated at a staggering £223,656.

The church has submitted an application to English Heritage for a grant towards the preservation of the roofs, but even if grant aid is forthcoming, it will not completely fund the work.

The church has applied for 80% of the total repair costs, and it is thought the parish will still need to raise between £40,000 and £50,000 to complete the work.

Lorinda Legge, churchwarden for St Andrew's, said: 'It is a huge amount of money we will need to raise.

'We have patched and repaired the flat lead roof on the two transepts countless times through the years, but it has got to the point where we had to do something more permanent.

'We have had an architect in to look at the roof, and we are fearing that we could have wet rot, which would make the costs even higher than our initial predictions.

'We have applied for the grant from English Heritage. They will now come and inspect the roof themselves and write a specification on the work that needs to be done.

'We won't know what work will need to be done or the costs until October once English Heritage have carried out their inspection.

'We will probably hold a public meeting in October, open to parishioners and anyone willing to help with fundraising, to discuss how we can raise the money needed for the roof.'

The church is a Grade 1 listed building, making it a building of exceptional interest. It consists of the chancel, north chapel and south chapel, nave, north and south aisles and the embattled double-buttressed tower which stands at 75ft high and houses six bells.

The parochial church council is in the process of establishing a fundraising committee. Once formed the committee will welcome hearing from anyone with expertise in this field, or those who are willing to organise fundraising events.