A BELEAGUERED church which was facing cancelling its Christmas events because of a faulty boiler has nowbeen plunged into darkness after donated heaters blew a fuseboard and plunged it into darkness.

St Marks Church, in Princes Street, Southend, didn’t have enough money left to fund repairs to a faulty boiler, but church warden Sharon Hilton was delighted when three heaterswere given to the church.

The donation meant Christmas services, including a Christingle, could go ahead in the church, but when they were plugged in they short circuited an old electric system.

Mrs Hilton said: “So much has gone wrong this year. We had some money in the kitty, but we had to repair floorboards and then slates started coming off the roof.

“Someone very kindly loaned us three big heaters, but when we plugged them in they blew the fuse board so now we have no heating and no lighting.”

The Milton Community Partnership runs from neighbouring offices but their Christingle, which forms part of the Christmas party, will have to be held in the hall next door if the electricity can’t be restored.

Mrs Hilton added: “We don’t know how much it will cost to mend or even if it can be mended.

It is the old type where you use fuse wire.

“It’s just been one thing after another. We were due to have a candle and carol service on Friday, but that will have to be in the hall, as well as our other Christmas services.

“There are only about 40 people in the congregation and many are elderly or young families who already give what they can. There is a limit to howmuch you can ask of people.”

It you can help St Marks, call 01702 337336.