URGENT restoration work costing £25,000 has been completed to a historic Roman Catholic church.

Members of Dorset Historic Churches Trust gathered for a ceremony to celebrate the completion of work at the Priest of Our Lady's Church at Marnhull near Sturminster Newton.

In an exchange of cheques, the trust's chairman, Major General John Alexander, presented Father Martin Budge, Priest of Our Lady's Church, a cheque for £4,000.

It will help fund a phase of an ongoing programme of renovations currently being carried out at the 19C church, including work on its exterior walls.

A trust spokesman said: "In response and appreciation to the trust's donation, Father Martin gave John Alexander a cheque for £150 and a promise that the Marnhull Church will hold fundraising events specifically for them over the next three years, beginning in spring 2008.

"The programme of external restoration started in 2006 with nave repairs, involving the repointing of walls, costing around £25,000.

"The church had provided £11,670 from its own funds and there were contributions from other sources, including £9,000 from the National Churches Trust."

The spokesman added: "Church treasurer, Bob Horton, stated that the recent electrical rewiring revealed serious problems affecting woodwork of the sanctuary floor.

"Consequently, priority had to be given to the repointing of the exterior walls and buttresses to make the church waterproof so that the interior decorating could move on.

"The final project in the current scheme will be the reconstruction of the church porch."

The specialised stonework at the church was carried out by Shaftesbury builder Brendan Colohan and his team, who all attended the cheque ceremony.

The spokesman added that this year the Dorset Historic Churches Trust has provided £102,000 to 22 churches in the county.

Since its foundation as a registered charity in 1960, the trust has assisted more than 250 local churches of all denominations with grants, loans and guidance on the funding of fabric repairs, maintenance and restoration.

The trust's main annual fundraising event since 1991 has been the Great Cycle Ride, which takes place every September. The 2007 Ride raised more than £47,000 which, with the use of Gift Aid, is expected to hit a record £60,000.