IT is hoped to start work soon on major repairs to St Mary's Church in South Zeal — but the final hurdle is to find the last £2,000 needed.

It is more than 100 years since any major work was done on the listed building — which is not a registered church, so can only hold normal services and not weddings or funerals. It was originally a school.

The present project includes re-roofing and felting, work on the bell tower, walls and guttering, total electric rewiring and the installation of new heaters.

The cost of the renovations will be £21,000 — but would have been higher had not Dartmoor National Park offered to undertake repairs to the walls of the churchyard.

The fabric fund reserve for the the church has been emptied, grants obtained, projects and events organised by church wardens, church members and parishioners, and donations gratefully

received to fund the work.

However, the final £2,000 has still to be raised and church warden Mike Bailey appealed for people to come forward with ideas or projects to raise this sum.

'We have stalled and run out of events,' Mr Bailey said. Church members were also in the process of saying goodbye to their vicar.

'There has been a lot of generous giving for the renovation work by people who come to the church regularly, but I think we may have squeezed the towel dry,' he said. Numerous events had been organised over the past 18-months, including cream teas and coffee mornings.

'Being in the middle of the village, it's where we want a proper church,' Mr Bailey added, explaining that it was run alternately with the main church in South Tawton. 'We are trying to gradually build up the use of the church.'

Mr Bailey hoped the wider community would contribute towards the repairs, which were essential if the building was to continue to be used. 'The wiring has not been done since the 1950s and is rubber inside conduit, so we would not be able to use the building much longer,' he said.

The church treasurer has suggested sitting outside the church with a table for donations over a weekend, which might be taken up.

Anyone with fund-raising ideas or willing to organise an event is asked to contact Mr Bailey on 01837 840276.

l An exhibition of paintings by Gil Jonas, Sian Keith and Elizabeth Young is being held in the Church House, South Tawton, with the proceeds from the accompanying afternoon cream teas going to the St Mary's repair fund.

It will run from Saturday, August 24 until Tuesday, August 28 from 10am until 6pm daily.

Coffee will be served during the morning and anyone who can help with this or the cream teas is asked to contact Mr Youle on the above number.