AN appeal to raise £400,000 to repair Malvern Priory's organ has reached the half-way mark after just eight months.

£218,000 has already been pledged to the cause, largely by members of the congregation at the ancient church.

Mike Selby, chairman of the fundraising committee, said the result was highly encouraging.

He revealed that the next step is to approach charitable trusts and foundations in the hope of securing further cash.

He said: "We've written to about 25 trusts and there are about the same number again which we will be writing to."

Fundraisers are also keeping a close eye on proposals by the Government to reduce the level of Value Added Tax on church repairs.

"We don't yet know whether the proposals will merely be for repairs to church fabric, or will include such things as organs. But if they do, it would mean a substantial reduction in the target figure," said Mr Selby.

A major fundraising endeavour in the pipeline is a musical extravaganza being planned for July 2002, in collaboration with the Malvern-based English Symphony Orchestra.

Mr Selby said that if all goes well, work on the organ will be starting in late 2002 or early 2003.

Malvern-based firm Nicholson and Co, of Quest Hills Road, is set to carry out repairs to the instrument.

Many of the organ's components are wearing out, causing air to leak out. The urgency of the work was highlighted at Christmas 1999, when the organ failed during the main carol service.