A historic Lancashire church facing closure has been given a lifeline after the discovery of nearly £30,000 worth of gold coins hidden beneath its altar.
St Wilfrid's Church in Melling, near Carnforth, had been struggling to raise the estimated £750,000 needed for urgent repairs to its roof, stained-glass windows, and other parts of the building.
But an extraordinary find on Good Friday has offered fresh hope for the church's future.
According to The Times, the Rev Jane Lee and a parishioner were preparing the church for morning prayers in April when they discovered a plastic bag hidden under the altar containing a box of nine gold Britannia coins.
The coins, produced by the Royal Mint in 1999, carried a face value of £100 each but were later sold for almost £30,000.
Lee said: "We just burst into tears when we saw it. We couldn't believe it.
"It was like a miracle because it's so desperately needed for the church."
The gold was accompanied by a handwritten note on Salvation Army paper dated July 16, 2022.
The note read: "Hi there, I'd like to donate these nine gold Britannias to Melling church," and was signed simply: "James, servant of the living God."
The discovery appears to be linked to a series of anonymous gifts left at churches across Lancashire.
Similar donations of gold coins were reportedly found at churches in Hornby and Quernmore in 2022, leading Lee to believe they may have come from the same benefactor.
The timing could hardly have been more significant.
St Wilfrid's, which has a congregation of just five people, had been facing an uncertain future as repair costs continued to climb.
Lee said the church had been struggling to keep its doors open before the coins were discovered.
While the £30,000 windfall is only a fraction of the total amount needed, church leaders hope it will help unlock further funding.
She described the donation as "the answer to their prayers" and said the money would be used as a seed fund to support grant applications and future fundraising efforts.
The current church dates back to the 14th century, although a place of worship is believed to have stood on the site since before 1066.
Since news of the discovery emerged, a heritage group has also been established to help preserve the church and raise money for restoration work.
Lee said the formation of the group had given the congregation renewed hope.
"That's now not just the little congregation fighting to make this happen," she said.
"We've got a wider community behind us who are willing to help."
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The Bishop of Blackburn, the Right Rev Philip North, also welcomed the donation, describing it as a "sign of hope."
He said: "It shows how loved the building is.
"It shows that when we trust, God will provide.
"It would be an absolute tragedy for this church to close.
"This gift has doubled our determination to restore it for the benefit of the whole community."
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