TWO ancient churches in Furness and Eden are to get grants from the English Heritage and Heritage Lottery Fund to make essential repairs.

St Cuthbert's Church in Kirkby-in-Furness has in principle been awarded a grant of £120,000 towards the cost of replacing its leaking roof. The cost of repairs is almost £200,000 and the balance of £80,000 is to be raised by the Parochial Church Council over the coming months Meanwhile, the Norman church of St Columba in Warcop, near Appleby, will today receive a grant of £6,000 to develop proposals for repairs to the building that has been beset with problems of rising damp. A further £52,000 has been agreed in principle to fund the work to the Grade II listed building.