Church tower appeal reaches for the sky

12:57pm Wednesday 19th December 2007

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It will be up, up and away for a Chorley church this Christmas when a truly festive fund-raising flight gets under way.

St John the Evangelist Church, Preston Road, Whittle-le-Woods, is staging a Christmas Eve sponsored balloon release to help raise a much needed £40,000 to restore the church tower.

Anne Harris, a member of the parochial church council has organised the event, hopes some 1,000 balloons will be released into the evening sky on the day.

Anne, of Astley Village, said: "If it is good weather they will actually head five miles in the air, so I've been told."

The tower was opened up for public visits earlier this month to raise money for the fund which has just been launched.

Anne added: "The launch is at 5pm after the Christingle service at 4pm. We are giving everyone a mince pie and hopefully Father Christmas will come and release the balloons.

"We have put a UK return address on them, so we don't know where they will go.

"The tower has an inspection every five years. It needs pointing and if it doesn't get done it will fall down. It is in a very bad state."

The release is open to anyone.

It costs £1.50 per balloon, with a prize for the one that goes the farthest. If you want to take part, call the church on 01257 241291.

Vicar, the Right Reverend Alan Winstanley, who has been at St John's since 2003, said: "The tower needs repointing. Every little helps.

"We are hoping to organise an abseil maybe in Spring."