A CASH-STRAPPED church has been forced to sell off two of its halls to pay for urgent repairs.

The congregation at Wanstead United Reformed Church is struggling to raise the £750,000 needed to renovate the 150 year-old building's roof and crumbling stonework.

Church members believe selling off Grove Hall in Grosvenor Road and Centenary Hall in Nightingale Lane is the only way to raise the money needed to save the rest of the building.

They had considered demolishing the church and replacing it with a new building, but these plans were shelved when it was given Grade II listed status by English Heritage earlier this year.

Congregation member, Stephen Forster, of Grosvenor Road said the halls are listed, along with the rest of the church, meaning they could not be demolished by any future buyers.

He said: "It's sad that it's come to this, and I am deeply opposed to the sale.

"The Grove Hall is an important part of Wanstead's history, and was one of the first places in the area to be built for people to be entertained in.

"Both of the halls are covered by the church's listing, but remain just as much under threat as the rest of the church."

Wanstead Society member, Billie Figg, called for other ways to be found to raise the money.

She said: "It's terribly sad that they are selling these halls.

"You would have thought they would be able to get funding for it now that it's listed, but I suppose there isn't alot of money available at the moment.

"Maybe some kind of community fund could be started to help raise some of the money the church needs for repairs."

A joint statement from the URC's minister Rosalind Selby and church elders read: "Wanstead United Reformed Church has, as readers of the Guardian have been aware for some time, been faced with a challenging decision about our premises.

"It won’t surprise readers to know that a 150 year-old church has problems with the roof and with the stone walls which are badly weathered.

"Early in 2008 we learned that repairs totalling £750,000 would be needed within 10 years to give the church a viable future – money we neither have nor can raise quickly enough.

"Repairs to the property are depleting our reserves at a rate which will bankrupt us within about four years.

"Trusting in God for this future, our church meeting has made a decision, with a majority of over 95 per cent, to sell part of the property (two of the halls, together with a kitchen and toilet facilities) to raise the monies to repair and internally re-order the church and remaining space.

"As we move forward, with architects and other professionals to advise and support us, we are seeking to make our church buildings not only a suitable place for worship, but also a community-focused resource at the heart of Wanstead."