GRESFORD Church has been awarded funding of £20,000 toward essential repairs to its church tower.

The tower is home to the famous Bells of Gresford Church, one of the Seven Wonders of Wales. It is in need of urgent repairs due to a crack that has appeared in the masonry work making the tower so unstable they can no longer ring the bells.

The funding has come from the landfill operator waste recycling group through the landfill community’s fund. The church is also applying to CADW and Heritage Lottery Fund for a contribution toward the project.

WREN has also awarded £22,740 to Salisbury Park United Reformed Church towards improvements to community- used rooms in its building.

AVOW, the Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham, has received an award of £3,903 towards roof repairs.

With a head office in Norfolk, WREN distributes the Landfill Communities Funds to community and environmental projects within 10 miles of landfill sites owned by Waste Recycling Group Ltd.

WREN project manager Meleri Jones said: “We are looking for more applications in 2008 from the Wrexham area.

“I would urge community groups and not-for-profit organisations to contact us on 01953 7174114 or 01248 674907 to see if their projects are eligible.”