A CHURCH restoration project is closer to its target of raising £11,000 - thanks to a donation from the team behind a major pipeline scheme.

St Lawrence's Church, at East Rounton, near Northallerton, dates back to the 13th Century, and is of great historical and artistic significance.

However, its future lies in the hands of the appeal and the donation from BP's Teesside to Saltend Ethylene Pipeline Team will be used to help pay for new wiring.

Funds will also be used to preserve the exterior walls and new ventilation and heating systems also need to be installed to preserve the stained glass windows.

The church is historically important to the area and has a number of unusual features, the most significant being the chancel east window which depicts in stained glass St Lawrence with our Lady of Mount Grace.

The window is rare in that it is made of built-up glass - the only other church in England with this type of glass in its windows is Westminster Abbey.

BP's TSEP manager Michael Thomson said he became familiar with the area while working on the pipeline.

"The church is very beautiful and the cornerstone of the community, so we felt it was very important to support such a worthy appeal.

"I hope that the fundraising continues and the restoration is a success," he said.

Lady Venetia Bell, of the church fundraising group, said: "We are delighted with the interest that BP has taken in our beautiful little church and we are most grateful for the donation."

* The underground BP pipeline was constructed during 1998 - 2000 and is now fully operational.

It links the ethylene pipeline system on Teesside with BP plants in Hull and follows a route that passes close to East Rounton village.