SINGERS at an Oxford church will raise the roof in an attempt to fix it with a mammoth performance of choral works.

To launch a £400,000 renovation project, St Mary Magdalen Church in the city centre is to stage a performance of the complete Latin works of Renaissance composer William Byrd over a 24 hour period.

The roof is leaking and church leaders want repair work to start later this year.

Director of music Will Dawes, 36, said he was looking forward to the marathon performance at the church in Magdalen Street, which dates back about 1,000 years, and hoped it would set the scheme off to a flying start.

He added: "The church needs hundreds of thousands of pounds to repair the roof and we are aiming to raise more than £6,000 with this.

"The performance will raise awareness of the renovation project and bring people into the church.

"It's a free performance and we will be asking people for donations.

"I know most people who come probably won't stay for the whole thing, but they can stay for an hour or two and leave and come back later if they want to."

The concert will include approximately 200 motets, and three Masses, adding up to around 16 hours of music making.

The performance will begin at 5pm on Friday, January 20 until midnight, and pick up again at 8am the following day until 5pm.

Mr Dawes, who lives in Cowley with girlfriend Katie Bank, 33, a doctor, added: "The choir has developed a love for this sort of choral music - Byrd was a Catholic living in Anglican times and lived in fear of being executed.

"He was cut off from religious worship and sometimes his unhappiness comes across in his music.

"This is a great project and we hope as many people as possible come along - you don't have to be a Christian to enjoy the music."

Church administrator Katie Balfour said: "A professional choir will be singing more than 200 pieces by William Byrd over a 24-hour period - it will be quite spectacular.

"The roof is leaking quite badly so renovation work is being planned for later in the year.

"We hope people will drop in for an hour or seven on either day and enjoy the music.

"We are looking forward to giving people a very warm welcome to our medieval church."

For further information visit stmarymagdalenoxford.org.uk/byrd-is-the-word