THE Church of St Michael and All Angels at Lydbury North, near Bishops Castle, is rare in being an Anglican church with an ancient Roman Catholic chapel as part of the building.

Restoration work on the roof of the Plowden Chapel, where mass is still said once a year, has been going on for some time but now an even bigger challenge has arisen with the whole roof of Lydbury North Church needing to be replaced.

A fundraising scheme has been launched to meet the cost which is estimated at more than £200,000.

There has been a church on the site since the 8th century and the present building is listed in the book ‘England's Thousand Best Churches’ by Simon Jenkins.

Lydbury North Parochial Church Council has been told that the whole church needs re-roofing because many of the old stone tiles have fractured over the years due to frost.

The PCC will apply for grant funding for the project, while fundraising began with a concert in the church by the chamber choir Con Anima which raised £200.

This was followed by a bingo night at the Powis Arms on December 4, organised by Richard and Barbara Hastings and Judith Farr, which raised a further £200.

Other events are planned for 2018, including a quiz, a concert and an open gardens weekend on June 16 and 17.