'Miracle' hidden hoard of gold coins saves Melling church

Rev Jane Lee said the treasure was "like a miracle"

A 14th Century church has been saved from closure after the discovery of a "miracle" hoard of gold coins worth nearly £30,000 found hidden under the altar.

St Wilfrid's Church in Melling, near Lancaster, was set to shut as its congregation was unable to raise the £750,000 needed for urgent repairs to the building.

Rev Jane Lee said she and a lay minister were preparing for morning prayers when they discovered a plastic bag with a box which "to our amazement" contained nine gold Britannia coins inside.

She said they burst into tears as it was "so desperately needed" for the 700 year old church which was "in a bit of a pickle" due to the extent of the repair work required including a new roof.

She told BBC North West Tonight: "We just burst into tears when we saw it.

"We couldn't believe it. It was like a miracle because it's so desperately needed for the church."

Lee said the church was in the process of closing when the hoard was discovered.

"We were struggling to keep our doors open."

She said it was "the answer to their prayers" as the £30,000 can "be a seed" to go towards applying for grants and other fundraising efforts to go on to get the repairs done.

She believed the gold coins may have been hidden there four years ago by a mystery benefactor.

Lee said other churches in the area received similar mystery gifts in 2022 but St Wilfrid's Church never found it until Good Friday, on 3 April.

She said: "For me, it's significant because we've got more community backing now to the church, whereas four years ago we would have probably just spent it on the day-to-day running of it.

"Well now it's there for a seed to get all the repairs done that need to be done."

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