A GROUP is appealing for help in its bid to buy a copy of the Lindisfarne Gospels for the manuscript's spiritual home.

Chester-le-Street Heritage Group, County Durham, has already raised £4,000 of the £7,000 it needs to buy a copy of the gospels, after launching a campaign about three months ago.

The manuscript has been kept in London since being seized by Henry VIII in 1537.

It is now housed in the British Library, which has presented a £13,000 jewel-encrusted laser copy of the gospels to Durham Cathedral, from where they were originally taken.

A second copy was given to the heritage centre on Lindisfarne, Northumberland, near where they were created in honour of St Cuthbert.

The gospels were first translated from Latin into Anglo-Saxon English in Chester-le-Street, and the heritage group believes that the town's historic link with the manuscript should be recognised by placing a copy there.

Heritage group secretary Edna Stokoe said there had been little response to a cash appeal to the business community and other organisations.

It is now looking to individuals in Chester-le-Street for help.

Mrs Stokoe said: "We were thinking if people could donate £10, or whatever they could spare, it would help us enormously. Or if anyone would like to raise money through an organisation it would help."

St Cuthbert's Walk shopping precinct, in the town, recently donated £62 from money raised during its Santa Claus Appeal.

Anyone who wants to donate to the campaign can contact 0191-388 9380 or send cheques, made payable to Lindisfarne Gospels, to Christine Davies, c/o Nigel Humes Solicitors, 3-5 High Chare, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, DH3 3PX.