A MEDIAEVAL church in Herefordshire needs more than £40,000 of repairs, according to Church of England surveyors and architects.

A plea has been made to English Heritage for funds, after a team that studied St Michael and All Angels listed a string of concerns.

In particular the church, which was founded in 1170, has a leaking roof.

Masonry is also crumbling from the apex of the east wall.

"There's quite a big hole, about three feet wide," said Robert Turner, secretary of the parochial church council (PCC).

He feared what would happen to the stonework if nothing was done before the winter.

Mr Turner estimated repairing the roof and the wall could cost up to £45,000.

Listed building

The PCC has applied for a £27,000 grant from English Heritage on the basis the church is listed as Grade II* by the Government.

The church has £18,000 in its coffers, some of which has been collected from bodies such as the Herefordshire Churches Trust.

If the English Heritage bid fails, the PCC will call in architects again and ask them to "prioritise" the repairs that are most urgent.