REPAIRS to St Matthew’s Church tower at Coldridge have been taking place in recent weeks, specialists from West Access, removing patches of unstable pointing works and re-pointing where necessary.

The works have been undertaken to try to stop water ingress into the church tower.

For the past few weeks the specialists from the company, at times up to three working, have been hanging from bosun’s chairs to hammer out, by hand, the unstable pointing and then replacing it with new.

The work was commissioned by Coldridge Parochial Church Council.

Some repairs to a parapet on the top of the tower and other works, including filling some cracks in the tower are to be completed in the near future.

Coldridge PCC said it was also grateful to local resident Peter Bailey for his recent restoration works at the church which have included repairs to guttering, replacing slates and other works.

Alan Quick