A church that has stood in East Molesey’s conservation area since 1850 is in urgent need of cash to save its roof.

St Paul’s Church desperately needs £100,000 after a review of the building four years ago showed areas in need of maintenance and repair.

Three phases were planned to attend to the repairs, but a lack of funds meant only the first stage had been completed, leaving substantial repairs to the roof and spire outstanding.

If the work is not carried out, the grade II listed church would become dangerous.

A more recent survey of the organ revealed that it was urgently in need of a complete overhaul and that the console was close to breaking down.

Like all Anglican churches, St Paul’s received no funds from the Church of England or central government and virtually none from local government or any other external source. A spokesman for the friend’s of St Paul’s said: “And yet, local people like to regard it as their church and expect it to be there for their use at christenings, weddings, funerals and the like.

“Like so many other churches, this attractive building and spire serves also as a focal point in its local environment.”

The recently-formed friends group has been tasked raising the funds and a leaflet distributed in the parish had some success, with 40 regular givers now signed up.

A series of fundraising activities were being planned, starting with a choral concert by the Earthly Voices at the church on July 21.

Mike Stephens, secretary of the Friends of St Paul’s, said: “We urgently need to raise these funds.

“It is entirely unreasonable that the church functions in behalf of the whole community but, in the absence of any other source of funding, the entire cost falls on the shoulders of an active but relatively small number of local parishioners.”

Without funding it was inevitable the church would fall in to serious disrepair.

Mr Stephens said: “I hope that the community will not have to wait for this to happen before realising that contributions were indeed both vital and urgent.”

If you would like to contribute to the cause, email Mr Stephens at mkstehens@btinternet.com or call him on 020 8941 0303.