AN appeal to restore the famous 199 church steps at Whitby - worn by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims making their way to the town's landmark historic parish church of St Mary's and Whitby Abbey - has raised £35,000 in two months.

Residents, organisations and businesses are being urged to sponsor a step for £1,000, says churchwarden John Hemson.

The target is to raise £199,000 - £1,000 for each step, he explained.

"We have had a splendid response so far," he said.

Early next month, the appeal is to go worldwide because of Whitby's reputation as a historic tourist town, which attracts visitors from all parts of the globe.

The 200-year-old steps have been designated by English Heritage as a grade one listed building, and already the government conservation agency has contributed towards urgent repair work.

"The steps are renowned worldwide and held in much affection by people who visited Whitby over the years. We are now hoping that the appeal gathers pace to enable the work to get underway as soon as possible.

"When they were originally built, in 1304, the steps were wooden, said Mr Hemson.

"There weren't 199 originally - they were added to over the years. They were built as an access for churchgoers to St Mary's from the old town area, and for coffins to be carried to the church.

"As a result, there are still several 'coffin rests' up the steps where pall-bearers were able to take a rest on the way to the church."

One of the biggest problems with the restoration work will be the inability to get machinery on the site because of the narrow, steep access, said Mr Hemson.

"When the steps were laid, they were probably put in by gangs of local and travelling labourers.

"While the steps are used by tourists between the harbourside Tate Hill Pier and St Mary's, they are the responsibility of the parochial church council of St Mary's, and have become a big worry because of their condition, and the railings alongside them which no longer meet health and safety regulations, due to the potential risk of a child being able to fall through them," said Mr Hemson.

The church faces a £22,000 bill in the next few months for geological surveys to be carried out to ascertain the stability of the cliff prior to the restoration of the steps going ahead.

One of the latest donations has come from the Benson Stage Academy in Whitby, which has contributed £2,000 to mark its 50th anniversary, and recently a team of 40 people from the Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust climbed the 199 steps 385 times - the equivalent of conquering Mount Everest - to raise £600.

Updated: 11:02 Wednesday, April 21, 2004