A LANDMARK city centre church is undergoing much-needed repairs.
Scaffolding and corrugated iron sheeting has gone up round St Nicholas Church, in Durham, while specialist stonemasons re-point and restore walls at the Victorian-built eastern end.
Although a church has dated from medieval times in the city's Market Place, St Nick's, as it is known, has existed in its present form since 1894.
The parochial church council has used some of its funds, backed by grants from the Historic Churches Building Fund and the Durham Diocesan Advisory Committee, to meet the five-figure cost of the job.
The Reverend Dale Hanson said the work is part of a five-year rolling repair programme which is necessary with buildings of St Nicholas' age and size.
"It's all part of the regular maintenance. We've done some of the other walls and this is mainly confined to the eastern end and on part of the tower.
"It's costing a substantial sum, and the grants do help, but over the years the church has tried to budget for this rolling programme.
"I'm told it's all going to plan and should be finished on schedule in the next week or two.
"Because of our prominent location we have tried to let people know this work was about to happen, but through the contractors we have tried to minimise the impact."
Work is also ongoing at St Nicholas Youth Centre, in nearby Providence Row, at a cost of £150,000.
The 1960s'-built building, used by youth and community groups in The Sands area, has remained closed for six months pending the refurbishment.
It is expected to be completed late in September or early in October.
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