A church with stained glass windows in memory of ‘Busby Babe’ footballing hero Duncan Edwards has launched a £50,000 fundraising appeal towards the cost of roof repairs. Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Worship services have temporarily moved in the parish rooms and urgent work is due to get underway at St Francis Church in Laurel Road near Wrens Nest, in Dudley , after severe wet and dry rot was discovered in a number of rooms.
Now church members, who regularly welcome football fans from around the globe coming to view the two windows dedicated to the Manchester United and England star, have launched an online fundraising bid to safeguard the site for future generations. The move is in a bid to avoid building costs wiping out its financial reserves and Dudley Team Rector the Rev James Treasure said worshippers were "quietly confident" they can raise the mount needed. Mr Treasure said: “St Francis is a special place, not only for the Priory and Wren's Nest communities, but to football fans worldwide who we frequently welcome to the borough to pay tribute to the church’s local lad, Duncan Edwards, whose funeral was held here in 1958.
“However sadly, the discovery of severe dry and wet rot in the church alongside rising energy costs have meant that our financial resources have been stretched to their limit and we are currently facing a substantial challenge. “As it stands, we have enough to pay the initial repair costs and w.