CHURCH officials at Holy Trinity in Rathmell have had their prayers answered.

The Parochial Church Council has received a grant of £151,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for repairs to the roof, drainage and heating.

The project is expected to cost £193,983, with the balance being met through "energetic" fundraising carried out during the past year.

Without the restoration scheme, the Grade II listed building would inevitably close.

The Rev Hilary Young, parish priest of Rathmell with Wigglesworth, Settle and Giggleswick, said: "I am very grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for its generosity in supporting the project at Holy Trinity, and also to everyone who has put in so much hard work in preparing the bid and raising the necessary match-funding.

"The grant has enabled us, after competitive tendering, to put the structural work in hand with Messrs Woolers of Keighley. It is scheduled to start in early June and be completed by the end of August.

"We look forward to seeing this building, so valued by the communities of Rathmell and Wigglesworth, made sound as a place of worship for generations to come."

The project aims to strip, repair, insulate and re-slate all of the roofs, refurbish all of the rainwater goods, improve exterior drainage to reduce damage caused by penetrating damp and install a modern and more efficient heating system.

Holy Trinity Church, which was built by public subscription and was consecrated in 1843, has played a major part in the heritage of the local communities of Rathmell and Wigglesworth for nearly 200 years.

The choir stalls, reredos and tower screen are of very high quality, and were all carved by local craftsmen using timber from local resources. There is also a fine organ and clock, together with a number of memorials to local personalities, as well as to those fallen in war. Not only does it provide a place of worship for the villages of Rathmell and Wigglesworth, but it also supports the Rathmell Church of England Primary School.

In addition to repairs, a programme of events and activities to encourage wider use of the building and involvement of the local community is being developed.

A new History of the Church is being produced, together with interpretation boards outlining its building and subsequent development, and the importance of the Capronnier stained glass windows is being raised through the internet and tourist information centres.

Fiona Spiers, head of Heritage Lottery Fund, Yorkshire and Humberside, said: "There is a place of worship in almost every ward, village and town across Yorkshire and Humberside, providing a very powerful visual connection with our past.

"This award to Holy Trinity Church in Rathmell will ensure essential repairs are carried out and the local community is able to get involved and learn about the stories and heritage of the building, helping to create a sustainable future for the church."