Two of Gravesham’s oldest churches will undergo restoration thanks to a generous grant.

Major restoration works costing around £200,000 will be carried out on the crumbling historical towers of both St Peter and St Paul’s Church in East Milton Road, Gravesend, and St Botolph’s Church, in The Hill, Northfleet.

They are among 12 churches in Kent to have been awarded a slice of just over £1 million by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), under the organisations’ joint Repair Grants for Places of Worship scheme.

St Peter and St Paul’s Church has been awarded a £95,000 grant which will help to restore the 14th Century tower.

Rev Vic Lawrence who has been at the church for 22 years revealed there is still a lot of fundraising to be done before the renovation works can be completed.

He said: "The work is going to cost more than £191,000. The work will mean that this historical church will be here for generations to come."

St Botolph’s, in The Hill, Northfleet, has received a grant of £137,000 which will be used to restore and preserve its 13th century tower and repair its roof.

Church warden David Stephens said: "This grant will enable us to stop the tower from deteriorating anymore. We are also planning fundraising events and applying for grants to gather the rest of the money."