CONGREGATIONS of two Stourport churches are celebrating after winning grants for much-needed work.

One of the churches has won £3,000 for work which will include measures to stop youths hanging around in the grounds and intimidating local people.

There had also been vandalism, litter and evidence of drug and alcohol misuse at the Baptist Church in Minster Road.

The church will now have extra lighting as well as railings and gates. The forecourt of the building will also be landscaped.

District councillor, Jill Fairbrother-Millis, secretary of lobbying and action group, Community Action Newtown, said the idea to improve security had come from local people following a CAN survey. She said the group had then explored different avenues in order to secure the funding, which eventually came from Wyre Forest Community Safety Partnership.

She said: "The work will also make the church more appealing to the community and its many users."

In another successful funding bid, the Wesley Methodist Church, off the town's High Street, has won a lottery grant of £79,000.

The historic Grade II listed Methodist Church, where the founder of the Wesleyan movement, John Wesley, once preached is one of the oldest buildings in Stourport.

The Rev Paul Booth said it had been a difficult decision for the congregation to apply for lottery money because the Methodist movement is traditionally against gambling, including lotteries. A large part of the money would be used for urgent repairs to the roof, he said.

Rev Booth added: "Damp has been getting in and the wall is being forced away from the roof by water."

A new meeting room, toilets and entrance are also planned. He said as well as the £79,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the congregation had raised £125,000 and a grant of £35,000 had come from recycling and waste management firm, Severn Waste's 'Welcome to Our Future' programme, towards the cost of the work. An on-going fund-raising effort is attempting to meet the cost of additional repairs, which could amount to £400,000.

Mr Booth said builders would move on site in September.