IT'S business as usual even though the builders have moved into a Victorian church.

St. Peter's Church in Firs Lane, Westleigh is undergoing a £160,000 refurbishment to keep the elements at bay.

Constructed and designed in 1881 by leading architects Paley and Austin the Grade 11* listed building is the centre of some tender loving care at the heart of the Firs Renewal area.

English Heritage has provided a £129,000 grant which has been boosted by parishioners efforts and the influx of £6,500 from the Manchester Diocese and £5,000 from the Historical Churches Preservation Trust.

Father Stephen Pollard, Priest-in-Charge at St Peter's, highlighted the dampness problems as a consequence of water penetration which he said would be halted by the remedial work which will include repointing the brickwork and renewing guttering and roof flashing.

The church has benefited from a Firs Renewal grant of £5000 and £1,800 of Brighter Borough funding which partly funded the £11,000 project to repair the boundary wall and replace the iron railings which were cut down and scrapped to provide much needed metal as part of Britains Second World War effort.

Father Pollard said: "The church is operating as usual with normal services which are 9.30am on Sundays,9.15am on Tuesdays and 7pm on Thursdays."