The pews are being removed to make way for new radiators

BBC News Online revealed on Friday that St Catherine's Church in Pontypridd was selling off pews at �100 a time.

The benches were soon snapped up by members of the congregation and other local people, raising �3,200. The story travelled abroad, and an offer of a boiler from a manufacturer near Berlin - but the church's boiler does not need replacing.

"Unfortunately, it's not a new boiler that we need," said the Reverend Marcus Green. "We've got a new boiler, but it's the 40-year-old convector heaters which need replacing.

"Sadly, this company only makes boilers. But it was a fantastic gesture - I was blown away. I was really impressed by their generosity."

Mr Green was delighted that the pews were sold so swiftly after being put on sale.

"Most of them were sold to local people, which was what we hoped," he said.

"The idea was to give local people the opportunity to own a bit of Pontypridd history.

"Some were bought by congregation members, some went to people who had been married or christened here - and 10 were bought by a local pub."

The church, built in Gelliwastad Road in 1869, is now just �6,000 away from reaching its target of �30,000 for a replacement heating system.

The Welsh monuments body, Cadw, advised that Victorian-style radiators should be used, which increased the cost from the original �24,000 to �30,000.

"We are nearly there now, with just �6,000 to go," Mr Green added.

"It sounds a heck of a lot but, when you think that just a few months ago we had nothing, we've done really well."