Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust has handed out £52,000 in grants to local churches this month.

Seven churches in the county will benefit following February’s funding meeting.

The largest grant went to St James’s Church in Nether Worton, near Banbury, which received £18,000 towards tower and roof repairs and other work.

All Saints’ Church in Shorthampton, near Charlbury, received £12,000 towards work on its roof, and St Mary’s Church in Chesterton, near Bicester, was awarded £7,500 to help pay for repointing of stonework and rebuilding a boundary wall.

Funding also went to St Lawrence’s Church in Combe (renovation – £2,500), St James’s in Fulbrook (tomb restoration – £5,000), St Peter and St Paul’s in Church Hanborough (boiler – £2,000), and St Etheldreda’s in Horley (steel roof – £5,000).

Another £4,200 was awarded to two churches to fit roof alarms.