AS a long-time parishioner of St Peter's Church, Heysham, I write to say a heartfelt thank you for your excellent article last week making more widely known our very real and distressing difficulties.

This church in its beautiful setting has an aura of deep, unfathomable peace. Countless worshippers and visitors over so many years have drawn and continue to draw indefinable tranquillity from its loveliness. I know that the congregation time and time again has made effort upon effort, individual and corporate and that numerous possible grants have been explored in a ceaseless attempt to solve these problems. Sadly, we cannot possibly raise the money St Peter's needs alone. I am confident that there are enough people in the area to love and care for this inestimable treasure and to ensure that it remains for posterity the oasis of peace and beauty it is now and has been for our predecessors, a place to 'come apart and rest a while.' In these days of constant stress, noise, worry and restlessness, there are few such places remaining. Nothing could replace it should it go.

We continue to 'pray for the miracle' and that your concern for this situation in creating a wider awareness of the problem may help in its resolution.

Mary Wright

Heysham Road

Heysham