AN £18,000 lifeline may not be enough to save a historic parish church threatened with closure.

Local landowners the Latham family offered £6,000 per year for the next three years to help keep St Torney’s at North Hill open.

But the offer was conditional on the community finding another £2,000 per year – and finding alternative uses for the building that would enable it to become financially self-sufficient.

And not enough volunteers have come forward to form a new trust to take responsibility for the church’s future.

Now a deadline for any further donations has been set.

At a meeting in August, the parochial church council aimed to form a committee to explore alternative uses.

But not enough people were willing to set up a committee, meaning the Latham offer cannot be accepted.

In a statement to parishioners, churchwardens Brian Davis and Jackie Johnson have said: ‘So far only 25 per cent of the amount needed to keep the church going for the next 12 months has been pledged by regular giving.

‘The deadline for donations is October 1, after which the fate of the church will be decided.’

There is regular worship in the church, as well as a monthly communion service, but the congregation rarely exceeds 10.