A campaign by the Daventry Express to raise £50,000 to save a church has hit its target after just 14 months.

Pews in Holy Cross Church in Daventry, have been weakened by dry rot and death watch beetle, and it will take a minimum of £50,000 to repair the damage – the extent of which has not yet been fully ascertained.

The campaign to save the church was launched by the paper just after Easter 2000, and since then money has been raised through donations and fundraising events.

The rector, Rev Owen Page, said: “It is quite incredible really and I am very, very pleased. I would like to thank all the people of Daventry for their support.”

After legal permission has been granted to start work, experts will remove the pews in September to find out how far the beetle has spread.

Mark Lane, who has co-ordinated many of the fundraising events, said: “It was great to hear we have reached the target so quickly. I don’t know what the experts will find but it is not too late to save the church.”