PERSHORE Abbey is in need of urgent repair after cracks were discovered in its ancient walls.

Funds raised to restore the organ may have to be diverted to the project and experts have been commissioned to determine the extent of the damage.

At a public meeting at the end of September, called to report progress on the organ project, the Rev Kenneth Crawford told the audience that a change of direction needed to be considered.

Reporting this in the parish newsletter he said that "the situation with the Abbey's fabric is critical," adding: "The whole issue of stewardship/priorities and our management is critical at the moment. The St John Chapel is splitting disastrously; the vestry wall is moving outwards - all of which must be funded."

Mr Crawford was reluctant to give further information until the Parochial Church Council (PCC) has reached a decision, though he said that members are holding a lot of meetings to discuss it.

He said that the article was written to alert the congregation to the fact that there may be a new way of looking at the organ project, but he would not confirm whether the Abbey is in any imminent danger.

"There is a crack in the north east corner which should have been fixed earlier and in a different way," he said. " But I am not going to comment on it any further until we have got reports from our architects and archaeologists."

The PCC has already approved Mr Crawford's suggestion that they should buy a fully digital organ at about a third of the cost of a pipe/digital version.

In the newsletter he said: "I was interested to note that, of the comments made at the meeting, generally the worshipping members supported my proposal rather than pushing for the greatness the Abbey might achieve visually."