AN ‘unsafe’ Dorset church roof that is being ‘held up by gravity’ has been saved thanks to funding.

The roof at St Nicholas of Myra Church will undergo ‘urgent repairs’ to make it secure and watertight again.

At present, the stone roof tiles are in poor condition and are held in place with 175-year-old battens and rusty nails.

The joints between the tiles are also fractured.

The National Churches Trust says it is ‘essentially gravity that is holding the tiles in place’ and that the roof could ‘collapse at any moment’.

The trust warned this would devastate the building and the heritage within.

Bournemouth Echo: Temporary measures are in place to keep the building safeTemporary measures are in place to keep the building safe (Image: James Mercer)

The Grade I Listed building is in Worth Matravers and is one of the oldest churches in Dorset.

While it was closed temporarily, the church building is now open but is surrounded by fencing, with reinforcements to the porch and protective netting above the nave.

However, St Nicholas of Myra Church has been earmarked for a share in a £496,625 urgent funding pay-out from the National Churches Trust.

The church will receive a £10,000 cut, as well as a £10,000 grant from the Headley Trust - on the recommendation of the National Churches Trust.

As part of the renovations, broken roof tiles will be removed and replaced with local Purbeck stone and new wooden battens fitted.

Bournemouth Echo: The church's roofThe church's roof (Image: James Mercer)

The nave and chancel ceilings will also be repaired.

Claire Walker, chief executive of the National Churches Trust, said: "The National Churches Trust is excited to be able to support St Nicholas of Myra church to enable them to carry out urgent roof repairs to their building.

Not only will this protect this important heritage, but it will help to keep the church building open and serving local people.”

James Mercer, chair of the roof project team at St Nicolas of Myra church, said: “We are very grateful to receive this grant as it will help us to safeguard the structural integrity of this ancient church.

"The church is at the heart of the small Worth Matravers community.”