15435/01GAZETTE & HERALD: FRIENDS of St Mary's Church in Calne are celebrating following a £10,000 grant from North Wiltshire District Council for the restoration of its 97-year-old organ.

It was another piece of good news for the ambitious £200,000 appeal to restore the unique Harris Organ to its former glory following a host of successful fundraising concerts.

Secretary of the Friends, Audrey Forrest, said: "It was really brilliant to get the award. Until you actually get it you are always worried someone else will get it."

Treasurer of the Friends, Caroline Keevil, said she was ready to stand up and argue her views for the award but did not need to. "The council seemed more than willing to help us. All the councillors have been brilliant right through this project so I didn't even have to open my mouth.

"We are trying to raise £200,000 and we have three years to do it in. We want to finish the whole project by February 2008 and every pound we raise will go toward match funding."

The organ was given to the church by the Harris family in 1908 and was known as the sausage organ because of the family's butchery connections.