AFTER playing in church services for more than 200 years, the Bolton Parish Church organ needs major repairs.

The huge overhaul of the organ and its historic pipes will cost £220,000.

The parish church has obtained a £110,000 grant towards the work from the Markland Trust and a further £15,000 is already in the church's organ fund.

Later this month, the church will launch a public appeal to help make up the £95,000 shortfall.

Canon Michael Williams, the vicar of Bolton, said: "We have been replacing parts bit by bit but it is like a motor car - at some stage it needs a major rebuild."

He said that despite the cost, it is important to keep the historic instrument in good repair.

"It is an important part of Bolton Parish Church but it is also one of the finest instruments in the region," he said.

Parts of the organ date back to 1795, when the original instrument was built for £400.

In 1852, it was replaced by a new, larger organ, incorporating pipes and stops from the Green organ.

It was removed from the old parish church when the 15th century building was demolished and was put back in the present church, which opened in 1871.

The organ was rebuilt 11 years later, using the old pipes from the former organs.

The final renovation was in 1953 following a £5,000 appeal launched by the then Mayor of Bolton.

But now, many of if its leather pneumatic bellows have rotted and a third of the organ cannot be used.

York-based specialists Principal Pipe Organs will begin work in the summer to dismantle the organ, which has more than 2,600 pipes ranging in length from 18ft to six inches.

A temporary organ is being loaned to the church to be used during services.

The pitch of the organ will be altered to make it more suitable for use with orchestras and recitals.

Pipes removed in the 1953 renovation will be replaced and the number increased to about 3,000.

The work is due to take six months.