A CHURCH which faced possible closure is now less than £100,000 away from undergoing a major transformation.
A few years ago, the future of St Columba's, in Darlington, looked bleak because its congregation had dwindled.
But following lots of work and dedication, the church's fortunes have been transformed and it is trying to raise almost £500,000 to build a community facility.
A National Lottery grant of £300,000 has pushed the total up to £394,471 and the church now only needs to raise £97,303 to hit its target.
The Reverend Simon Foster said people had been generous.
"We are absolutely delighted and ecstatic about the Lottery result and very grateful indeed," he said.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article