AN effort to conserve one of Sidmouth’s idyllic churches has been boosted by a £3,000 grant from the Keith Owen Fund.

Friends of Salcombe Regis Church have welcomed the match-funded contribution as part of their bid to safeguard the landmark for generations to come.

Nestled in the Salcombe valley that leads down to the sea, the 900-year-old church is much-loved and many of Sidmouth’s prominent residents are buried in its country churchyard.

They include scientist and astronomer Sir Norman Lockyer and architect R W Sampson.

The Friends group have raised money to restore the heritage of the church by renewing the stone work of its tower, the defective stone around its western door, the mullions of some of its stained glass windows, and the re-roofing its old lych-gate.

The Sid Vale Association’s (SVA) Keith Owen Fund has been pleased to support the conservation project and its chairman, the Reverend Handel Bennett, presented Dr Philip Atkinson, chairman of the friends group, with a cheque towards the ongoing work.

Dr Atkinson, in thanking the SVA for its generous support, said: “The friends have been much encouraged in their efforts to sustain the stone fabric of the building for use by future generations, and we are grateful for this help.”

The Keith Owen Fund also welcomes applications for grants, both large and small, which meet its criteria. Information can be found at www.sidvaleassociation.org.uk.