CHURCHES in and around the diocese of Hereford are not getting enough funding to keep their buildings in good condition, according to the area's bishop.

The Bishop of Hereford said the £767,000 grants given to eight churches in Herefordshire and Shropshire by English Heritage were not enough.

Bishop Anthony Priddis said: "Across the whole country, English Heritage gave grants to 153 Grade I and Grade II listed places of workshop, but in the diocese we have 400 buildings with special historic and architectural significance.

"We need grants for far more churches and we need more of the costs being met since even these grants leave large sums to be found by the congregation."

He cited as an example King's Caple Church in Herefordshire, which received £105,000 towards urgently needed work on its spire - but the full cost of the work is estimated at £120,000 and with money needed for repairs to stonework on the windows, the parish still needs to find another £27,000.

Wendy Coombey, the diocese's community partnership and funding officer, said research had shown the contribution churches made to community life in rural areas was enormous and vital.

She said: "There are more funding resources than ever for widening the use of churches for community use, so it is ironic that we cannot get enough money to keep the buildings in a decent state of repair."