HOPES are high that a cheese and pepperoni pizza will prove a money-spinning combination for Durham Cathedral.

Pizza Express in the city has added fundraising to its menu by creating a special Friends Pizza to help raise money for the Friends of Durham Cathedral.

For every one of the £6.55 pizzas sold, 25p will go to the friends.

The pizzas are designed to be shared with a friend, and are covered with a four-cheese topping on one half and a pepperoni and mushroom topping on the other, in recognition of the American members of the charity.

Secretary of the friends Lilian Groves said: "They call themselves the American Chapter, but basically, it's people who have come over here and fallen in love with the cathedral, and want to help us."

The charity raises money for anything from wheelchair ramps to heating and lighting systems for the cathedral, and is in the process of raising £250,000 for a new sound system.

Manager Michele Stevenson said the pizza would go on sale today.

She said: "All our staff were quite interested in helping. It was just in appreciation of the cathedral - it's a really beautiful building."