CHRISTIAN leaders say they are facing a race against time to keep a 15th century church open.

Unless £14,000 can be raised to replace the electrical system at St Peter’s Church, Helperby, near Thirsk, it will close on January 1.

The Rev Chris Park told a public meeting at Helperby Village Hall that a recent quinquennial inspection, a regular review to ensure church buildings are kept in good repair, had exposed health and safety issues and its insurer had given the church four months to rewire the building.

He announced a £50,000 fundraising drive, revealing plans to install a disabled toilet in the spring, at a cost of £13,000, and to spend £22,000 redecorating the inside of the building next summer.

Mr Park said that, while more than £2,000 had been saved to rewire the Grade II listed church, which is used by a range of groups including St Peter’s Brafferton Primary School, it needed £11,198 by the harvest festival to ensure the work was completed by Christmas.

He said the church holds Holy Communion and informal family services which attract a small congregation alongside services which generate a greater community involvement, such as the annual pet service.

A full range of worship is offered at Easter and Christmas, and Lent and Advent.

Mr Park said: “We need an immediate response from the community to the appeal and have set a deadline of October 5."

To generate funding, church leaders will appeal to residents of the village and surrounding area and apply for grants from the York Diocese and charities.

Helperby Parish Council chairman Richard Spilman will boost the appeal with a fundraising concert and auction of promises in November.

The meeting heard there had been warnings five years ago that electrical work would be needed, but church reader Carmel Gittens said the extent of the work to make the church safe for worshipping had come as a shock.

Residents questioned whether the fundraising drive would be followed by others for remedial work to the church and suggested church services could be held in the village hall.

Mr Park said: “In a village like this people don’t value the church just for Sundays, but for funerals, weddings and christenings and things like that.

“By undertaking an appeal like this we are asking people in the village if they like it enough to contribute, just as a golf club does to its members.”