Vicar stunned by £270,000 collection

It was manna from heaven that even he could not have prayed for – and left a Black Country vicar astounded.

Rev Richard Cornfield asked worshippers to give to the church rebuild fund, and after only one service they had donated £270,000. Just 110 members of the congregation at St Mary's Church in Aldridge pledged the colossal amount during a single service.

Their unbelievable generosity means the church is almost a quarter of the way to its £1million target to replace crumbling rooms in the rectory.

Rev Richard Cornfield said the collection last Sunday included "several" individual donations of more than £10,000. The 13th century church in The Green has a healthy congregation, often attracting more than 350 people.

Members were asked last weekend to leave donations anonymously in buckets or via standing orders.

Rev Cornfield said he was astonished when he added up the total. The fundraising drive had been launched just a week earlier.

"I am both amazed and delighted," he said.

"The thing that pleased me most was that the donations came for everyone from pensioners to professionals. At such a difficult time for the economy, when people are struggling, I think it is even more impressive."

Gavin Drake, spokesman for Lichfield Diocese, joint owners of the church land, said: "It is unusual for this amount of money to be pledged in a one-off response to a scheme, I think it demonstrates the church community there are very keen to pursue the new church rooms."