CHURCH guardians have won their first battle in a campaign to fund a major project to save their place of worship.

Without widescale repairs to Holy Trinity Church in Rathmell, parishioners fear it could close.

The Parochial Church Council has won £11,800 to fund vital work to investigate the full extent of the repairs that are needed.

Crucial is the replacement of the ancient and inefficient heating system and the repair, insulation and re-slating of the 170-year-old building.

The church, a grade two listed structure, contains some nationally important Capronnier stained glass which will be repaired and replaced.

The Heritage Lottery cash will pay for preparing the plans and tendering for the work which is expected to be completed by mid 2016.

The total cost of the project is estimated at £210,000.

The Rev Hilary Young, vicar of Rathmell, Settle and Giggleswick churches, said: "The development grant will enable us to progress to the next stage towards a further grant for funding the whole project.

"We look forward to seeing this building, which is so important to the local community, made sound for generations to come and for it to continue to serve the local community by which is was built.’

Cash contributions would come from church funds but the community was also being called on to fund-raise and help meet the balance of the overall cost, she said.

A new history of the church would be produced together with interpretation boards and it was planned to develop a programme of events and activities to encourage wider use of the building.

The choir stalls, reredos and tower screen were carved by local craftsmen using timber from local resources.

And the church contained a fine organ and clock together with a number of memorials to local personalities as well as to those fallen in war.