THE intricate web of scaffolding rising slowly around Bromsgrove's ancient parish church presents a dramatic picture silhouetted against a clear winter sky and viewed from afar as the light begins to fade.

The painstaking work which will take ten weeks to complete, marks the start of a major half-million pound restoration programme on St John's. It is expected to be completed by the summer and will ensure 2006 goes down as being an especially significant year in the church's long history.

Time and the elements have taken their toll on the porous locally-quarried sandstone Grade I listed building on the hill which dates mainly from the mid-13th century.

Preliminary checks have revealed parts of the structure are now so precarious it is only a wing and a prayer that has prevented large chunks from falling off.

Money to fund the work was raised by the hugely successful Landmark Appeal to which hundreds of townsfolk and many local organisations gave generously, and backed by the Advertiser/Messenger.

The six-man team of fabricators will have completed the task of erecting the scaffolding to the top of the 198-foot high structure and fixing a temporary roof over the 15th century nave by the end of January. Further scaffolding will be erected inside the spire.

Combined, the cost of the temporary roof and scaffolding will see little change out of £80,000.

Once in place the old lead sheets with their ill-fitting, leaky joints will be stripped off. The temporary cover will protect the worshippers 40 feet below, and the exposed roof timbers and plasterwork as well as allowing the builders to continue to work whatever the weather.

Unlike a century ago when the church last underwent major fabric repairs, new sandstone chosen as near as possible to the original, has been ordered from a quarry near Uttoxeter.

From five huge matching blocks hewn from the quarry will be cut the individual stones which will replace those in the church too eroded to be salvaged and reused.

A good colour match of stone and mortar to the original is a strict requirement of English Heritage which is overseeing the work.

The painstaking job of renewing the stonework and repointing has been entrusted to Birmingham firm Sapcote, which specialises in the restoration old buildings.

The architect is Richard Lamb of Hereford firm Hook Mason, who is project-managing the work.

A century ago when major rebuilding took place, replacement stone had been obtained from a quarry owned by a Mr Griffin at Rock Hill in Bromsgrove.

Sadly, today, although the town could be said to be built on foundations of sandstone, none is commercially available.

Then, as is planned now, the top few feet of the spire will be dismantled and completely rebuilt and the four-foot high weather vane brought to the ground to be re-guilded.

Jo Slade, a member of the church fabric committee, who was also responsible for co-ordinating the Landmark Appeal said: "Great care has gone in to the planning and preparation ahead of the actual hands on restoration work.

"For instance a different mortar mix will be used on the spire where the stones are placed closer together than on the tower where the joints are wider."

Although the work, including refurbishing the organ, is costing £600,000 the casual viewer, even if they look closely, will not readily see where the cash has been spent.

"The aim is to marry the old and the new together so the repairs are invisible," said Ms Slade.

"2006 promises to be an exciting year, the culmination of much hard work by a lot of people to see this fine old building fully restored and welcoming worshippers as it has done for the past 1,000 years."