A VOLUNTEER who has spent quarter of a century maintaining for a rural church in Worcestershire has been applauded for her tireless work.

Pat Prosser has been named West Volunteer of the Year by the Churches Conservation Trust for her 25 years of work at Old Bartholomew’s Church in Lower Sapey, near Martley.

Mrs Prosser was one of five volunteers with the organisation, which works to maintain neglected and redundant churches across the country, to be applauded for her work at an awards ceremony in London on Friday, January 23.

She was presented with her award along with £500 by the organisation’s chairman, television presenter Loyd Grossman.

The Norman church was built some time between 1066 and 1154 and features a weathered oak porch and traces of wall paintings including a lion from a 17th century coat of arms and others from the Middle Ages.

It fell out of use when another church was build nearby during the reign of Queen Victoria, and at one point was used as a farm building.

Chief executive of The Churches Conservation Trust Crispin Truman paid tribute to Mrs Prosser and the organisation’s other volunteers for their hard work.

“That’s why I’m proud that we are not only recognising the work of these five volunteers today, but also launching our ‘Protect, Create, Inspire’ publication, examining the work of our volunteers up and down the country and how through their tireless work and selfless attitude they are changing their communities for the better,” he said.

Other churches in Worcester managed by the charity include St Swithun's in Church Street, Worcester, All Saint's in Spetchley and St Lawrence's in Evesham.