AN iconic Leytonstone church is still in urgent need of funding to pay for repairs to its crumbling tower and roof.

St John's Church, in Leytonstone High Road, needs repairs estimated at a total cost of £249,000 but a total of just £30,000 has so far been raised.

An English Heritage offer of £96,000 towards roof repairs has already been made, but on the condition that the sum must be matched by March 2010.

If the money cannot be matched, St John's will lose its English Heritage grant and work will have to be postponed.

A total of £123,000 therefore needs to be raised in order to make sure the repair work can be carried out.

Reverend Raymond Draper, vicar at St John's, said: “Such a postponement is too bitter to contemplate.

“We believe that with the support of friends in this and other communities and with help from other grant-making bodies, we can raise the £123,000.”

Members of the church have spent the last nine years working on restorations and improvements, but the building faces falling into serious disrepair if the funds cannot be raised.

A 'gift day' is to be held at the church on October 31 from 10am to 4pm in a bid to boost fund raising.

To contribute to the appeal, you can fill in a form and either make a gift to the church or organise an event and donate the proceeds.

Forms are available from the church.

Follow the Waltham Forest Guardian on Twitter - click here.