A CHURCH in Furness requires thousands of pounds to keep offering a space for the community.

St Peter's Church in Ireleth needs to raise around £40,000 to repair damages in the building.

In 2016 the church suffered from leaks but substantial work was done to repair the damage.

Currently the building still has water ingress on the east side of the church but the main focus is to repair the west-end gable, which was affected by subsidence.

Church Warden Beverley Louw said the cause of the damage was the roof tiles and the coping stones, which were sliding.

Scaffolding has been up outside the building for nearly four years but work is not possible to start due to the lack of funds.

Ms Louw said: "We have secured a grant so far for £2,500 and we have applied for a second grant. It is very difficult because we are not a grade II listed building, and we don't have any facilities around the church - it makes grant applications harder to meet the criteria."

With the age of the building, opened in 1865, Beverley explains that keeping it maintained is not cheap. However the community has been supportive of keeping the building running.

"Ever since we started in 2016, we have had very regular fundraisers, which have always been very generously supported," she said.

"We have also had generous donations from the community, other than just the fundraising."

Beverley explains that closing the church would have a massive impact on the people in the community.

She said: "If we can't get the grants, we just have to keep fundraising.

"As long as I can keep it open, it is what my principle aim is. It is vitally essential for the community and going forward."

If you would like to donate visit St Peter's fundraising website here.