THREE-QUARTERS of the £400,000 needed to prevent Bishops Lydeard church tower collapsing has been raised since January.

The vicar, the Rev Michael Wishart, has pleaded with supporters to continue praying and working to reach the target by September.

The fundraising will be rounded off with a Medieval Fair on Saturday, September 10, when St Mary's will be covered in 40,000 plastic veiling strips, sold for at least £10 each.

For the full story, see this week's Somerset County Gazette.