Millions raised for Canterbury Cathedral's 'vital' repairs

One million people are thought to visit Canterbury Cathedral every year

Almost £25m has been raised to pay for "vital" restoration work at Canterbury Cathedral.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded a £13.8m grant to the cathedral, which has raised a further £10.9m.

It sold pieces of stone removed during restoration of the 15th Century Great South Window, some of which sold for more than £7,000 each.

The roof of the nave is set to be replaced and a new visitor centre is to be built.

The Grade I listed cathedral, founded in AD 597, has been a world-famous centre of pilgrimage.

One million people visit the cathedral every year, the Very Reverend Dr Robert Willis, said.

The stonework was removed during restoration of the Great South Window

"This is without doubt a very exciting time for the cathedral," he said.

"We want to further enhance the experience for [visitors] as well as reach out to those communities with whom we would like to to share the richness of the heritage we have in this magnificent place."

The Gothic-style window, which is 52ft (16m) high and 23ft (7m) wide, was removed in December 2013 after stone fell onto a pathway.

Much of it had to be rebuilt after crumbling stonework revealed serious structural problems.

Parts of the window were put on display at the Getty Museum in in Los Angeles.