REPAIRS to a Grade II* Victorian church in Torfaen have been completed with the help of a grant of over £60,000 - making it a "sight to behold".

The roof of Crane Street Church in Pontypool has been repaired following a grant of £69,700 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The grant allowed for essential work, costing £97,000, to take place, which was also made up of donations made by members and friends of the church who supported the various fundraising events held over the past two years.

Crane Street Church is a Grade II* Listed building which has been a prominent feature in Pontypool since 1847.

The church secretary, Carol Wilkinson, explained that on first starting the work it was evident that there were major problems with the roof that were only apparent after the scaffolding had been erected.

The leaking gutters, broken slates, rotten woodwork and eroded stonework were all renewed under the guidance of the church architect Stefan Horowskyj, of Morgan and Horowskyj, Abergavenny, together with the builder, Taliesin Conservation of Blackwood.

She said that the unforeseen problems were eventually overcome and the final finishes included overhauling the wooden window frames, re-rendering the walls, sandblasting the Bath-stone façade and painting external walls and railings.

Mrs Wilkinson said: “Looking in from the street the front of the church is now truly a sight to behold.”

The building is now weather proof and hopefully no further damage to the Art Deco interior and glass etched ceiling will occur.

The trustees are grateful to everyone who has supported them throughout the project and would particularly like to thank patrons of the church and neighbours who have endured many months of disruption whilst this necessary work was carried out.

Head of Heritage Lottery Fund in Wales, Jennifer Stewart, said: “We are thrilled that this grant has helped secure the future of Crane Street Baptist and United Reformed Church to be enjoyed by present and future generations not just as a place of worship, but as a focus for community activity.”

Mrs Wilkinson explained that the church is now fundraising a further £80,000 for repairs to the structure of the church.