An application has been submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund to held cover the £220,000 bill for vital roof repairs to an historic village building.

Haworth Parish Church is fundraising to undertake the works on the north roof.

Priest-in-charge at the church, the Reverend Peter Mayo-Smith, said: “If our application is successful, we can start the surveys, and the work will be done in 2015.

“The church’s south roof has been done, and we’ve put an application in to the Heritage Lottery Fund for the work needed on the north roof. We estimate that will cost between £200,000 and £220,000.”

The church’s ‘ancient’ heating system is also due to be upgraded as part of the next phase of the major ongoing renovation programme.

The current, inefficient heating will be replaced within the next few months with a much more effective and eco-friendly system.

Mr Mayo-Smith said: “This will provide a background level of heating, so we can avoid the big swings in temperature that harm the fabric of the building. The money is in place to sort out the heating.”

The appeal to refurbish the church has so far generated more than £300,000.

“I’m delighted with the response we’ve had from the village,” Mr Mayo-Smith added. “Local people seem to be behind the project. At the end of the day, it belongs to them – it’s their church.”

The fund will receive a further boost on April 5 when the church hosts a fundraising concert staged by one of the top male voice choirs from North Wales.

A 25-strong group from the City of Bangor Male Voice Choir will make the trip to Haworth to perform in the event, which is being arranged by the Friends of the Brontes’ Church support group.

Friends chairman, Jeff Chaplain, said: “We’re looking forward to hearing the City of Bangor Male Voice Choir sing.

“Welsh choirs have a wonderful reputation for their music, and we’re sure the sound they produce will fill our church with wonderful harmonies and melodies.

“And we’re really grateful they are allowing us to use the money raised from the concert for the benefit of the church. That’s a wonderful gesture.”

The concert starts at 7.30pm. Admission will cost £5 for adults and £3 for children, students and senior citizens.