THE future of a remote Greek Orthodox monastery is in the balance - because of a shortage of nuns.

Abbess Mother Thekla and Mother Hilda are the only nuns remaining at the Monastery of the Assumption at Normanby, south of Whitby, North Yorkshire.

Now the pair are praying that others will join them in their life of solitude and hard work.

They spend their days following the monastic rule of three-fold labour: using the mind, their hands and the liturgical arts of writing and drawing.

But it has been some time since there was a new recruit, and their way of life - founded 400 years ago by St Anthony - could be under threat if no one comes knocking at the converted farmhouse.

"We pray for a novice to join us to enable the monastery to go on," said Mother Thekla, who was born in Russia, educated at Cambridge and went on to work for British Intelligence during the war.

"If they are meant to come, they will. But I do hope someone will arrive, because it really would be a lonely life for which ever one of us survives."

Mother Hilda, an American, joined the order eight years ago.

An accomplished artist, she paints icons, as well as helping in the gardens and joining religious ceremonies in the chapel.

However, the monastery is not completely without the comforts of modern life - a computer and a radio can be found on the shelves.

"We don't use it to listen to programmes. It is there for us to play our tapes," said Mother Thekla.

The monastery even had a car, until recently.

Mother Thekla joked: "I gave up driving after I fell and broke my ankle. We don't have it anymore as no one will drive with Mother Hilda."

Otherwise, life at the monastery is simple but demanding. Days can begin as early as 4am and end at about midnight.

"We balance the world," said Mother Thekla. "People are so busy working and running their lives so we pray for them and the world."