A DISAPPOINTED Craven congregation will have to put up with a leaking church roof for a while longer after their pleas for cash to mend it fell on deaf ears.

Members of St Mary the Virgin Church in Ingleton applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund for help for the third year in succession - and for the third time they have been refused.

In the short term they have no choice but to continue the fundraising drive that has so far achieved £50,000 - far short of the £225,000-£250,000 estimated cost of a new roof.

The church's vicar, the Rev Charles Ellis, said that there was "natural disappointment" among members of the congregation but that everyone was determined to carry on with efforts to raise the cash.

He said: "It takes quite a lot of time and people have worked very hard to prepare the bids, so it is disappointing to be knocked back three times.

"But the reality is that lottery officials decided there were other bids which needed cash more urgently than ours, so we just have to get on with it.

"I believe the fund is accepting applications twice a year, so we we will certainly be putting in another one in the spring."

Mr Ellis, who has been vicar of St Mary's for 10 years, added that church members would also be continuing the drive to raise cash, as well as asking church officials for help in putting together the next application to the Heritage Lottery Fund.

He said: "Perhaps we need to re-think some aspects of how we put the bid together and we will be asking for advice on that.

"To raise £50,000 in a couple of years is a fantastic effort by the community, and we're very grateful for people's generosity and the amount of hard work that has gone into it.

"I can assure everyone that every penny that has been so generously given to the roof fund will be spent specifically for that purpose."