WORK started on Monday to restore the organ in St John's Parish Church, Bromsgrove.

Funds have been raised for the organ restoration project as part of the St John's Landmark Appeal, which was launched in February 2003.

The majority of the funds raised for the organ came from the sponsor a pipe initiative and a series of concerts held in the historic church.

Over the next ten months the 150-year-old instrument will undergo a complete overhaul and thorough cleaning. The majority of the restoration involves refinements to the mechanisms of the organ and the connections between the keyboard and the 2,000 pipes.

Continual use over so many years has caused many of the organ's internal mechanisms to breakdown and disfunction, causing frustration to the organist and a distortion in the sound of the instrument.

Each part of the organ will be carefully dismantled and taken to the Worcester workshop of restorer Trevor Tipple where the painstaking restoration project will take place. The overhaul will result in the organ sounding crisper and clearer, and it will be a lot less temperamental.

While the organ is out of action a temporary electronic organ has been installed so the restoration project does not cause any disruption to the regular church services, weddings and funerals which will take place during the next ten months.

During the restoration period open days will be held at the church giving people an opportunity to see the work in progress. Trevor has been working with organs for more than 30 years. He and his team of eight organ enthusiasts look after over 300 instruments and take on two or three large projects like this one each year.