A CHURCH organ in Thornbury which had accompanied 20,000 services and 4,000 weddings and funerals since it was installed required a staggering £50,000 for restoration in September 1987.

The organ at St Mary’s Church, which was installed in 1870, needed the money to ensure it would last a further 100 years, with the alternative purchase of a new organ costing a prohibitive £150,000.

An appeal was launched to help raise the funds, spearheaded by the Rev Brian Prothero and an eight-strong committee who had been meeting since the spring.

St Mary’s organist Nigel Davies said: “It is a testimony to the builders, Vowles and Co., that the organ functions at all.

“Unlike neighbouring parish churches of comparable size, our instrument has been neglected.

“Apart from regular tuning and the installation of an electric blower in 1923, very little has been done.”

With £2,000 in hand at the time, the committee said that the project was not applicable to grants from statutory bodies.

“Although the avenue is still being pursued, the bulk of the funds will have to come from the town,” said Mr Prothero, with a number of events and guided tours of the church having been planned.