Published: Wednesday, 14th July, 2010 9:30am

Stairway to heaven

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A RENFREW minister turned action hero scaled the heights of her church's steeple to raise funds for the building.

In a move more akin to Spiderman than to a Church of Scotland minister, Rev Lilly Easton, 56, amazed onlookers by her sponsored climb up a ladder attached to Renfrew Old Parish Church in the pouring rain.

Lilly - who had never climbed such a height before - embraced the challenge to raise cash for her church's Building Renewal Fund.

She told the Gazette: "I'm scared of heights, I wasn't sure just how [the climb] would be.

"In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd never been up anything that high before and never done anything like that before, but I didn't have problems at all.

"The weather was terrible - it was wet and it was windy. The ladder was slippery to hold, I had to stop and dry my hands now and again.

"You've just got to go for these things. As I told the congregation, it wasn't me - it was Christ in me.

"It actually started as a bit of a joke. We're trying to raise money to repair the building and the steeplejacks were out to put up the scaffolding.

"Someone said 'you should abseil down it'. The steeplejacks said they wouldn't recommend it but added, 'you might want to do a steeple climb'.

"I lost four and a half stone in weight in preparation and got myself fit for it.

"I went to the gym and I bought a bike."

National Height, a company specialising in the maintenance of high, unconventional structures, helped Lilly out on the day with safety equipment, and members of the congregation turned out with umbrellas to cheer on their intrepid minister.

Lilly added: "National Height were absolutely wonderful - outstanding in their professionalism.

"One of them went on ahead of me, and one behind me.

"A lot of children were out, they were shouting encouragement to me.

"My husband wasn't keen on me doing it but was very supportive of me.

"I hadn't told [my mother], she would have worried too much. I went over and told her once I'd done it. My son knew I was meant to be going ahead but he looked out the window and thought, 'good, it'll be cancelled'.

"The congregation has been very, very supportive.

"Some of them think I'm totally mad - they were just glad I got back down safe and sound. One woman said she'd sponsor me NOT to climb it!"

If you would like to donate towards the church's Building Renewal Fund call Lilly on 0141 886 2006 or make a cheque out to Renfrew Parish Church and post it to 31 Gibson Road, Renfrew PA4 0RH.