A £120,000 appeal to replace the 50-year-old lighting and electrics at Crediton Parish Church is to be launched next month by Crediton Rector, the Rev Nigel Guthrie.

It was in 1960 that the lighting at Holy Cross Church was replaced and most of this has now reached the end of its useful life and urgently needs replacing.

Church spokesman, Bill Jerman, told the Courier: "An exciting opportunity now exists to vastly improve the lighting and electrical services at Holy Cross with the incorporation of modern systems and technologies to reduce the carbon footprint and provide a flexible and quality scheme to benefit all worshippers, visitors and other users of the church building.

"Holy Cross is much used by local schools as an educational resource and by the wider community for a variety of public events such as during the very successful 2009 Crediton Festival when the town marked the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of the first cathedral in Devon here at Crediton."

Mr Jerman said that a new scheme has been drawn up in consultation with a firm of lighting specialists, Anthony J Smith (Gloucester) Ltd.

He added: "Fortunately, thanks to a generous contribution from the Friends of Crediton Church and funds raised by our annual Flower and Christmas Tree Festivals, without which it would be almost impossible to upkeep and maintain the fabric of Holy Cross, we have £40,000 of the money needed."

He explained that a small committee, on behalf of the Holy Cross Church Governors, is now working on raising the balance of monies needed.

The appeal committee is chaired by church governor, Jo Ward and the other members include governor Helen Lawes, churchwarden John Wakefield, treasurer Glenda Hills and congregation members Bill Jerman and Sue Barker. Patron of the Appeal is the Rt Rev Bob Evens, Bishop of Crediton.