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Historic tin church repaired in time for Christmas

BBC Maureen Phillips is standing outside the little tin church. She is wearing a blue jacket and has short hair. The church has a tin exterior and three windows on the side.BBC
Maureen Phillips said people loved the tin church, which dates back to 1919

A historic tin church that had fallen into disrepair has been refurbished with the help of the community.

Edithmead Church, in Stoddens Lane, near Burnham-on-Sea, is known as "The Tin Church" and dates back to 1919.

The community helped to raise £11,000 to repair the old building's roof and repaint its exterior, Burnham-on-Sea.com first reported.

Church treasurer Maureen Phillips said: "People love the building because it's always been there for their whole lives. It's a familiar thing."

The inside of the church. It has wooden walls and there are wooden pews. The altar has candles on it that are lit.
The church has capacity for about 40 people

The small church holds about 40 people.

"At Christmas it gets full to overflowing. We've had people queuing out the door."

The building was turned into a church in 1919 after being used as a school.

When the vicar of Burnham-on-Sea found out people in the village were holding services at an old railway carriage, he bought the building for £184.

Now, three weekly services are held in the church.

"The acoustics in here when you're singing are lovely and warm," Ms Phillips said.

"It's all fairly simple, everything we do here is simple."

The church had to close during lockdown and fell into disrepair

The church had to close during the Covid-19 lockdown for 18 months.

It fell into disrepair and the church asked the community for support.

"Everyone who gave us money told us a story about it, telling us their parents had come here or they had their wedding here," Ms Phillips said.

A local builder repaired the roof and repainted the building.

"We hope it lasts for another 100 years," Ms Phillips said.

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