Bronte church in Haworth sees repair bill jump £50,000

The church, which is the burial place of two of the Bronte sisters, attracts thousands of visitors a year

The cost of repairs to the church where the novelist sisters Charlotte and Emily Bronte are buried has unexpectedly risen by up to £50,000.

St Michael and All Angels Parish Church in Haworth, West Yorkshire, had raised the £65,000 needed to secure £100,000 in funding from English Heritage.

But rising costs of building work now means it requires up to £50,000 more.

The roof of the church is badly damaged and water has damaged the original wall paintings.

'Fantastic' church

Discussions are under way to decide whether the offer of an English Heritage grant will still stand.

An English Heritage spokesperson said: "We're disappointed to hear that Haworth Church has met this last minute funding challenge.

"We know how important the repairs to the church are and want to support them as much as possible in getting this fantastic historic church repaired."

John Huxley, secretary at Haworth church, said: "We were overjoyed to learn we had reached the total, then knocked sideways by finding out building costs had gone up by so much.

"The reaction from the public to help raise funds has been absolutely phenomenal."

The church said a meeting would be held on Tuesday to discuss further fundraising options.

The Bronte family came to Haworth in 1820 and the church attracts thousands of visitors a year.