GRANTS awarded to one of Hampshire's oldest churches will enable the bells to ring out again after staying silent for several years.

The 900-year-old St Andrew’s Church at Rockbourne has been allocated £12,000 by the National Churches Trust (NCT) and £7,500 by the Wolfson Foundation.

The cash will help fund urgent work to the Grade 1-listed church and keep the building at the heart of the local community.

Last year Wolfson and the NCT gave grants totalling more than £3.67m to 270 places of worship.

The Trust is a national charity that is striving to help preserve churches, chapels and meeting houses throughout the United Kingdom

Its vice-president is broadcaster Huw Edwards, best known as the presenter of the BBC's News at Ten.

He said: "The latest funding is a much-needed lifeline for churches and chapels, many of which are struggling to raise money to keep their buildings in good repair.

"The grants will safeguard unique local heritage and provide a real boost to the people who look after and use churches and chapels for worship and for many important community activities."

St Andrew is said to date from the era when the Earls of Kent were Lords of the Manor. Its tower contains three bells.

Sue Thompson, secretary of the Parochial Church Council, said: "The completion of this work, remedying a situation which has caused the bell tower to become unsafe and the bells to fall silent for several years, will raise the profile of the church in the village.

"It allow the peal to ring out once again and facilitate maintenance of the clock.”

Paul Ramsbottom, Wolfson's chief executive, added: "As well as being the spiritual heart of their communities, churches remain a vital part of the UK's heritage and history.

"We know it can be challenging for churches to access funding to keep these remarkable buildings in good repair, particularly in the wake of the pandemic."