St.Mary's in Freeby

One of the things that defines the English countryside are the churches that nestle quietly in the towns and villages over which they've presided for the best part of a thousand years. In fact more or less wherever you are in Leicestershire and Rutland you can pretty much always see a tower or spire poking above the trees.

Which is why the parishioners of St.Mary's in Freeby near Melton have been having such a difficult time. Up until very recently, it looked like the only option they had was to pull their mediaeval church down.

Ben Jackson went to find out why....