God bless 'em

Church elders who asked parishoners to dig a little deeper during a Sunday collection to help pay for a new entrance and wheelchair ramp were left speechless when they collected an extra £58,000 in coins , notes and cheques.

Members of the 150 -strong congregation at Holy Trinity, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire ,cancelled holiday plans and emptied piggy banks, to raise an average of £400 each.

"No one could believe it when the sum was announced" said church warden John Haughan, "A gasp went up and there was cheering & clapping"