PP:48477203.jpg:National Trust Property Maager Stewart Alcock inspects the scale of the prolems on the roofof Hanbury Hall

ONE of Worcestershire's greatest stately homes is in danger of going to rack and ruin due to a huge backlog of repairs, it has been revealed.

Hanbury Hall, near Droitwich, needs at least £1m spending on it to repair damage including rotting roofs, which could partially collapse if work is not carried out in the near future.

Priceless pieces of furniture and artefacts are also in danger as water threatens to leak through the ceilings of the 18th Century building.

It has also been announced that the National Trust, which owns the building, is struggling to find funding.

"We are competing against so many publicly-owned homes it is very difficult indeed to win grants," said property manager Stewart Alcock.

"This year we have applied for £250,000 funding from English Heritage and National Trust funds, but we still do not know if we have been successful.

"The money would pay for re-roofing the Long Gallery, which has awful dry rot. If it carries on the situation could be very serious.

"Another danger, of course, is that the contents and collections will be damaged."

Visitor figures to the Hall have nearly doubled in the last three years, with 50,000 people crossing its doorstep in the summer.

"But even this does not generate enough money to pay for repairs - in fact, it does not even cover maintenance costs.

"Even after this year, one of our best ever, we had a deficit of around £10,000 after we paid everyone who worked here and covered the general costs of opening the hall up to the public," added Mr Alcock.

"We are trying to attract more visitors to the hall, and are encouraging people to leave donations or money in their wills, which several people have already done.

"Hanbury Hall is an important part of this area's heritage and we must work hard to preserve it."