MORE than £200,000 has been given to churches in York and North Yorkshire by the Government for urgent roof repairs.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, announced 34 churches across Yorkshire and the Humber would be allocated grants totalling £1.9m, to ensure they are safe and weatherproof.

Among the churches to receive grants were St Olave's Church, in York's Marygate, which has been given £78,100, and St Mary the Virgin in Strensall, which has been granted £11,400.

In 2012, parishioners at St Olave's made their own woollen roof tiles to highlight the problem and raise money for repairs, after thieves stole lead from the building - parts of which date back to the 15th century.

Jane Nattrass, priest in charge of St Olave's, said she was delighted with the news.

Rev Nattrass said: "It's great news for the church, I'm very pleased we have been awarded the funding.

"By having this funding it will bring to an end that episode in the history of the church, because it will replace the damaged roofing with another material. We didn't know whether we would get the funding, but it's good to know the efforts of many people who took part in the application were justified."

Across the country, 502 historic places of worship, of various denominations, will receive grants from a £30m funding package - called the Listed Places of Worship: Roof Repair Fund, which is administered by the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) on behalf of the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS).

Other churches in North Yorkshire which will receive grants from the fund include the Church of St Michael and All Angels in Thirsk, given £79,700, St Michael's in Malton, granted £38,100, and the Priory Church of St Mary the Virgin, Old Malton, which was given £32,500.

Also in line for funding are the Priory Church of St Mary the Virgin, Old Malton which will get £32,500, the Abbey Church of St Laurence at Ampleforth Abbey which gets £100,000, St Mary the Virgin in York which gets £11,400 and St Peter and St Paul, Pickering, with £43,100.

For more information on the fund, and to find out when places of worship can apply for future grants, go to lpowroof.org.uk