PARISHIONERS were today celebrating as a £140,000 project to renovate part of their parish church came to an end.

The tower at St Peter's Church , Church Terrace, Darwen, has been shrouded by scaffolding since the end of September, but on Monday, the covers will come off and reveal what has been done.

The tower has been completely refurbished, repointed and has a new roof.

Stone pinnacles have been replaced and new guttering has been fitted. Much of that end of the building has had new dry rot protection.

More than £90,000 of the project cost was given to St Peter's by English Heritage last Summer, the rest of the money was found by donations from local businesses, charities and from members of the congregation.

Building work has not been plain sailing all the way through. The Rev Kevin Arkell said the cost of the project rose by £20,000 in its duration. He said this was because more stonework had to be replaced and one of the clock faces at the top of the tower was almost hanging off.

Rev Arkell said: "We had to put the clockface back on urgently before anything else happened with it, so that delayed the process somewhat."

Bad weather over the Winter also delayed the project.

This is the first of a number of renovation schemes planned for St Peter's, but Rev Arkell said that it would be years before the whole refurbishment programme was complete.

"It would be very difficult to raise that amount of money again," said Rev Arkell. "We want to work on all parts of the church. The tower was the area most in need of repair and we have done that, and the workmen have done a splendid job.

"A fresh grant application will be submitted to English Heritage next year and it takes a long time before we find out if we have been successful. But the main stumbling block will be fundraising from our end. Everyone did a fantastic job this time, but it will be twice as hard next time round.

"In the meantime, I am really looking forward to unveiling the new tower on Monday."