Earl Spencer boosts Great Brington church roof appeal

The brother of Princess Diana, Earl Spencer, is donating some of the proceeds from a book he wrote to his family church's roof repair fund.

About 12 tonnes of lead was taken from St Mary the Virgin with St John's in Great Brington, the church that Princess Diana attended.

Her father, the 8th Earl Spencer, is buried at the Northamptonshire church, which also includes the Spencer Chapel.

The Rev Sue Kipling said Earl Spencer had been very supportive.

She said he had agreed to donate a portion of his earnings from his book Killers of the King, which was published last year, but she does not yet know how much it will be.

Ms Kipling said she was delighted with the response to a call for help by local residents and others, but £40,000 was needed to re-roof the 13th Century church.

Raiders reduced the roof to its timbers and a tarpaulin donated by the Spencer family estate is the only thing protecting it from the elements.

The rector fears bad weather will cause further damage.

The church is a shrine to Princess Diana and her family, attracting hundreds of visitors every year, Ms Kipling said.

It is also a tourist destination for Americans, as it is connected to the first president of the US.

George Washington's great-great-grandfather, Lawrence Washington, is buried in the chancel.

Ms Kipling fears once repairs are made, the thieves will return, so is considering improvements to security.

"I am reluctant to put a date on when repairs will start because thieves may be watching to strike again," said she said.

"Meanwhile, we are continuing to hold weddings and tourists are still coming."

The church is near the princess's ancestral seat of Althorp inherited by the 9th Earl Spencer in 1992.