A priest has shed the pounds to raise £1,000 for roof repairs to his church.

The Reverend Peter Mott, priest-in-charge at Keighley Shared Church, lost 13lbs in a sponsored slim during the period of Lent.

The money takes the total already raised towards the second phase of repairs to £7,000. Mr Mott had hoped the Heritage Lottery Fund would provide a grant to cover some of the £153,000 cost but the church will have to apply again next year as other projects have been granted this year's money to complete urgent work.

"We cannot go ahead this year because we missed out on a lottery grant."

He said the church can apply again next year but fundraising efforts are continuing in the meantime.

Last year the church's North Aisle was re-roofed at a cost of £106,000. The repairs to the South Aisle are the second stage to make the church watertight and prevent dry rot from taking hold.

Mr Mott said the appeal gave him the motivation he needed to start the diet.

"I knew I ought to diet," he said. "Usually I put on half a stone at Christmas but lose it by Easter, but the last two years I have not lost it, so was 11 pounds above my healthy weight. This gave me the motivation."

He did not follow a strict diet but cut out beer, whisky and cakes for the 40 days of Lent. He also tried to do more exercise, including walking down the hill from the Rectory to the Church - and the mile back up!

Mr Mott admitted it took will power to keep to the diet. "To begin with I felt hungry, but after a few days the body gets used to the reduced intake," he said.

"But I did miss my night cap of a glass of whisky - although this has resumed."

He said that the church must be preserved as it is used for occasions such as Remembrance Day and for large services such as funerals, which cannot be accommodated in some of Keighley's smaller churches. "It's important to keep it in a good state of repair," he said.

"Once this is done, that is all the major work."

Donations can be made to the appeal by contacting him on (01535) 601499.