In October £5,000 worth of lead was ripped off the roof at Chantry Chapel, on Wakefield Bridge. The building was forced to close for health and safety reasons after rain leaked in, sending the repair bill soaring to £45,000.

Now the vital repairs have been carried out, but although the chapel has been made watertight, there is still a lot of exterior work to be done.

The Accord Singers had planned to stage a Christmas concert at the chapel last year, but had to be relocate due to the damage.

The group hopes to return in May and fill the 14th century building with their singing, which ranges from folk music to traditional spiritual numbers.

Kate Taylor, from event organisers the Friends of Chantry Chapel, said the return of the choral group would be a symbolic sign of the resurrection of the chapel.

She said: "The Accord Singers have appeared at the chantry each Christmas from 1995 to 2006 but were unable to sing there last Christmas because the chapel had been closed on safety grounds."

She also thanked people for their donations to the chapel funds, including £3,000 from a mystery Wakefield-born man.

The concert, to be held on May 16, has been organised to try and raise funds to help cover further repairs.

But if Chantry Chapel is still not open by then the Friends have arranged for the concert to be relocated to Westgate Chapel.

Tickets for the concert, which starts at 7.30pm, are priced at £5 and include interval refreshments. Contact Kate Taylor on 01924 372748.