RADCLIFFE residents are being urged to do their bit to bring a historic stained glass window back to the town centre.

A fundraising campaign has now been launched to install Radcliffe's old civic window, which depicts the town's coat of arms, at the Church of St Thomas and St John, in Blackburn Street.

It is estimated that the church will need to raise a total of around £7,000 to cover the costs of restoring and installing the window, which is more than 80 years old.

The window was donated by industrialist Walker Allen in 1935 to celebrate Radcliffe becoming a borough and was housed at the old town hall, but has been in storage at Bury Museum ever since the town hall was decommissioned.

Since coming up with the idea, church leaders have enlisted the support of Radcliffe Heritage Society members, who have included a poster for the appeal in their 2017 calendar.

David Kerwin, of Radcliffe Heritage Society, said: "We got involved to help out the church and we have put their flyer on every one of our calendars that we are selling this year.

"I think things are going quite well with it at the moment and hopefully we will get the window installed.

"We are very grateful to the church for doing this because it is exactly where the window should be, right in the town centre."

The window was damaged when it was removed from the town hall, but has been taken to RS Glass Designs, in Bolton, for repair.

Carol Cain, vice-chairman of the Parochial Church Council, added that the plans have been designed to promote the window as a symbol of Radcliffe's civic pride and protect the artefact from any further damage.

If you would like to help restore the window, please make your donation to: St Thomas and St John's Church, account number 40797979, sort code 20-16-08.

Or, to donate online, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/carol-cain-2.

For more information contact Carol Cain on 0161 7248991.