THE first stage of a £27,000 restoration programme has started to take shape at a church near Evesham.

A structural engineer and an architect are taking a closer look at the tower of St Mary and St Milburgh church in Main Street, Offenham, which may have to be replaced.

The tower has a bulge protruding from it and after hundreds of years it has become brittle and weathered.

When church representatives were offered a grant of just under £30,000 from English Heritage, they decided it should be used on the tower.

Alex Christison, secretary of Offenham Parochial Church Council, said: "This is very much stage one at present. We have been given a certain amount of money for this preparation stage and we have to carry out a series of tests before English Heritage will decide to hand us the rest.

"The structural engineer has been brought in to have a look at the bulge in the tower and we will be looking to find out what exactly is wrong with it and how much we will have to spend in correcting any problems."

The tower of St Mary and St Milburgh church was built in the 12th century but received some work in the 1860s when the entire building was renovated by Offenham-born architect Frederick Preedy.

Mr Christison said: "This is strictly replacement work. We are being given the grant to replace the existing tower and will not be adding anything or taking anything away. A lot of fund-raising is going on in the village."