MONEY left to a village church after a parishioner died could be used to help disabled people.

St Andrew's Church in Sadberge, near Darlington, was left a sizeable sum by a parishioner about two years ago.

Since then, the Reverend Robert Cooper has been considering ways to use the money to improve church facilities.

The aim is to use the cash to build an annexe at the rear of the church to house a disabled lavatory

Mr Cooper said: "We are only at the hoping stage, because architects are discovering problems with the sewers and connecting the new loo to the main drain.

"If we can't fix it up normally we will look at a self composting toilet to solve the problem."

Darlington Borough Council's planning committee will consider the application to build a single-storey extension to the church at a meeting next month.