MAJOR repair work on Blackburn Cathedral has been completed well in time for Christmas and now the man in charge is looking for more cash to complete its facelift.

The scaffolding surrounding much of the building came down this week and workmen are now clearing up the surrounding area before preparations for the seasonal festivities begin.

Canon Andrew Hindley, the priest in charge of the fabric and maintenance of Lancashire premier Anglican Church, revealed that he would now seek a new government grant for more work on the remaining parts of the Cathedral.

The just-completed repairs to the 1826 West Tower, the North Transept, and East End were paid for by a £200,000 grant from the government’s World War One Memorial Fund.

Now he will apply for similar sum to repoint and upgrade the South Transept and St Martin’s Chapel

The existing work, which started in June, has been carried out by Heritage Restoration and Conservation Northwest who also carried out works in 2015/16.

It saw extensive repointing of stonework, repairs to the West Tower, its roof and windows, the refurbishment and regilding of the Cathedral clock face.

The North Transept gable has been repointed and along with lower level pointing on the sides of the same Transept. In 2015/16 the fund paid for high level works to both transepts.

Canon Hindley said: “The scaffolding is down, the repairs and repointing are complete and the building is watertight well in time for Christmas.

“The Cathedral is in the best state it has been for 50 years.

“We are grateful for the World War One Memorial Fund.grant which has enabled us to do essential works which are difficult to raise public money for.

“We shall now be applying to it for another £200,000 to repoint the South Transept and St Martin’s Chapel.

“It is a very exciting time for the Cathedral, its clergy and the congregation coming on on top of the completion of new Cathedral Quarter and clergy court suite of clerical accommodation.

“This is all about ensuring the Cathedral building continues to be in good repair for the next generation.”

The directors of Heritage Restoration and Conservation Northwest are both York Minster trained Stone Masons.