Race to repair St Collen's ceiling highlighted on national TV news

* Genesis Project leader Susanne Evans describes the urgency of the ceiling appeal.

The race to repair the historic ceiling of St Collen's Church - known as the Sistine of Wales - has been highlighted on national TV.

Yesterday evening ITV Wales News screened a special report on how church officials have just launched a crowdfunding appeal to pay for work on the medieval masterpiece which is suffering from the effects of years damp, insect attack and general deterioration.  

It was also pointed out how CADW, the Welsh Government's historic buildings body, had found itself unable to help fund repairs. 

Suzanne Evans, who leads the current Genesis Project to oversee the modernisation of the church to make it fit to meet the needs of a modern congregation, appeared on screen inside the church to describe how one of the critical issues affecting the ceiling over the years had been death watch beetle.

She also described how a number of the precious wooden carvings for which it is world famous had suffered, including one of the angels which had lost a wing.

* Father Lee Taylor said the ceiling was affectionately referred to as the Welsh Sistine. 

In his interview St Collen's vicar, Father Lee Taylor, said the ceiling was known affectionately as the "Welsh Sistine".

Sitting in one the pews he explained: "While Michelangelo was completing his masterpiece of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, at the same time Welsh craftsmen were completing their own masterpiece here in Llangollen.

"I'm not saying that this is a rival to the Sistine but, like the Sistine, our ceiling does convey a sense of deep pride."

As the camera panned across the ceiling ITV News reporter Joanne Gallacher said members of the congregation had their own favourites among its many richly carved figures.

* One of the many carved figures at risk - a man holding a beer barrel.

Father Lee said his own favourite depicted the man who drinks too much beer - actually a sequence of three which has the man holding a barrel, then drinking its contents and finally immersing himself in it.

Suzanne Evans was shown again saying that work on the Genesis Project would start next year, which would provide the perfect opportunity to carry out repairs to ceiling at the same time - if enough money could be raised.  

With a shot of St Collen's famous clock in the background the reporter summed up by saying that the race to find the cash was now on.

* The JustGiving page where a donation to the ceiling appeal can be made is at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/suzanne-evans-1731940087347