Urgent funding for major unexpected roof repairs to a Breckland church tops the total of £65,000 of repair grants made by the Norfolk Churches Trust.

It has awarded £10,000 to St Peter’s, Merton, near Watton, which has twice been victim of lead thefts.

While a replacement zinc roof was being fitted – thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund - a further £17,000 of urgent roof repairs was needed.

“This crucial work has been almost completed – thanks to the Norfolk Churches Trust and other donations,” said Jayne Wesley-Smith, of St Peter’s.

Three churches at Wellingham, near Fakenham; All Saints, South Lynn, and Wretton, near Downham Market, all receive £8,000.

The heritage conservation charity, which has cancelled next month’s major fund-raising event, the Stately Car Boot Sale, gave £65,325 to 16 churches.

*£10,000 – St Peter’s, Merton, for urgent, major additional roof repairs.

*£8,000 – St Andrew, Wellingham, near Fakenham, for urgent chancel roof repairs and to All Saints, South Lynn, for works to the church fabric, and fixing loose stonework and All Saints, Wretton, near Downham Market, for repairs to the tower and pinnacles.

*£7,000 – St Mary, Tittleshall, near Fakenham, for replacement flooring in the south side of the nave.

*£5,000 – St Peter & St Paul, Brockdish, for repairs to stained glass windows and re-plaster and lime wash chancel.

*£4,000 – St Mary, Hickling, for repairs to guttering, roof slates and windows.

*£3,000 – St Edmund, Acle, towards re-thatching the north side of the nave and the ridge.

*£2,500 – St Andrew, Wickmere, near Aylsham, for repair and replacement of central east window.

*£2,000 – St Mary, Haddiscoe, for repairs to the south side of the nave roof and to St Andrew, Little Massingham to restore west window damaged during Storm Ciara on Sunday, February 9.

*£1,875 – All Saints, Helhoughton, near Fakenham, for survey into widespread cracking and damp in nave and chancel walls.

*£1,500 – All Saints, Hethel, near Wymondham, to remove plaster on south wall of chancel and to remove hard external render.

*£1,000 – St Mary, East Rudham, to repair the south-west roof and to St Andrew, Great Ryburgh, near Fakenham, to repair south chancel window by William Wailes, dating from 1870 and All Saints, Woodton, to repair tower roof and tracery to west window.

*£750 – All Saints, Tacolneston to repair roof following lead theft.