A TEAM of Oxford parishioners has raised £37,000 to improve their church – starting with a new cross.

St Mary’s Church, in Barton, is only 51 years old but has suffered wear and tear beyond its years.

Cracked roof tiles had led to damp seeping inside, and a soft-wood cross on top of the roof had rotted away over decades.

Six months ago, the church community decided to take matters in their own hands and set about raising £44,000 to pay for the repairs, including making the building watertight, replacing broken tiles, frost-damaged drain pipes and a badly decayed flat roof.

Reverend Jonathan Sewell said he was incredibly imp-ressed by the amount raised so far.

He said: “Having reached its 51st year, the church is beginning to show its age, so several broken or cracked roof tiles were replaced and the old cross and lightning conductor, which have rotted away, needed replacing.

“The total cost of repairs is around £44,000. So far people have been very generous.

“We’ve had a few personal cheques and the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust has been exceptionally kind among others.

“It is a lot to raise in six months, but we are still looking for help from the community to raise the last little bit.”

A new cross, designed by Robert Montgomery, the cathedral architect for Christ Church Cathedral, was put in place by builder Steve Rayner on Friday.

St Mary’s Church was built for the new estate in 1958, paid for by public subscription.

The community were among those to dip their hands into their pockets once again and helped to raise some of the £37,000 with church sales and coffee mornings Parishioner Dr David Bullock, of Old Marston, who has coordinated some of the fundraising, said the interior of the church was badly stained by a leaky roof, leading to crumbling plaster.

He said: “We have received a significant amount in donations, including from some charitable trusts, and individuals have also been incredibly generous.

“A small committee of people are busy arranging events to support our building fund, including carol singing, and a concert in the spring.

“We are incredibly grateful, but we still need a bit more to reach our target.”

Next year, a programme will begin to redecorate the inside of the church and restore it to how it looked when first completed.