When lead thieves struck at St Mary’s Church in Cratfield last year, it left the parish with a repair bill of around £3,500.

And while the Parochial Church Council is busy looking at ways to cover the cost, a massive fundraising exercise is also under way.

The church hosts a well-known summer season of music, entitled Concerts at Cratfield, with its supporters donating almost £1,500 when the theft was first reported.

And now they are holding a special fundraising concert for St Mary’s at The Cut in Halesworth on Sunday at 4pm.

Chairman of concerts at Cratfield Philip Britton said: “We’re not just providing concerts for our audience, but also helping to keep the church alive.

“The church at Cratfield has offered us a tremendously warm welcome, and it has continued to be a real partnership with the parochial church council and the church wardens and the vicar, so when we heard in December that there had been this theft we of course wanted to help.”

A number of internationally-known musicians including Charlotte Scott on violin and Simon Lane on piano will perform works by Beethoven, Mozart and Schumann.

All the performers are giving their services free – most have played regularly for Concerts at Cratfield and are keen to support the church. And The Cut is also offering the space free of charge to the organisers.

Tickets at £20 each are available from the box office at Concerts at Cratfield on 01728 603077, or on the door at The Cut on the day.

For more information, visit www.concertsatcratfield.org.uk.

Are you organising an event? Email polly.grice@archant.co.uk