Scaffolding has gone up and work is about to begin after an appeal raised more than £250,000 to repair the stonework on a church spire.

Stonemasons are due to start work at St Mary's Church in Kidlington in the next few days after residents helped raise the money.

Village rector, the Rev Anthony Ellis, who launched the appeal more than a year ago with the help of BBC Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman, thanked all those who had helped and asked people to carry on giving.

He said: "We have had a magnificent response from the people of Kidlington and from friends who live further afield.

"We are most grateful to these people for their generosity to us."

As well as individuals, the fund was boosted by a number of large donations from trusts and organisations.

The appeal has had to be extended after English Heritage, which made an initial "in principle" offer of £102,000, gave only £50,000.

Mr Ellis said: "They have halved the grant because they thought we had enough money.

"We have got to keep it going until we get the bills because you just never know what will happen with building work like this."

The church in Church Street, which dates back to 1220, is listed in Simon Jenkins' book, England's Thousand Best Churches.