A MAMMOTH fundraising appeal to restore the East Front of York Minster has already brought in hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Less than three months into the £23 million campaign, the money has started to roll in.

And later this month organisers are expecting a financial boost when appeal patron the Duke of York attends a reception at Christies in New York.

All the proceeds from the auction house reception on June 24 will go to the appeal - the biggest fundraising campaign launched by the Minster.

The cathedral needs £23 million to pay for the restoration of the crumbling East Front, and another £7 million for a new endowment fund to secure the long-term future of the Minster choir, library and educational activities.

It is hoped the restoration scheme will be completed in ten years, with extra apprentice carvers and masons being taken on to help with the work.

A major part of the scheme will involve the restoration of the Great East Window, which is the biggest single expanse of stained glass in the world.

Eleanor Course, the Minster's spokeswoman, said the work and the appeal, which was launched on March 15, had attracted a great deal of interest.

She said: "The money is rolling in from the people of York and Yorkshire.

"There is a lot of interest in it, especially from people who see the miles of scaffolding up there.

"It is such a major feature of the Minster at the moment and it draws a lot of people's interest.

"The East Front is a well-loved area of the Minster, especially the Great East Window, and people want to know what's going on."

An exhibition about the planned work is currently on display in the Chapter House Vestibule, featuring some of the carvings done by the Minster carvers.

Eleanor said: "This is a long-term project. The work up there is going to take at least ten years and we are hoping to get more apprentices and train people as they work on the Minster. We will help establish a pool of incredibly talented craftsmen and women whose skills are of service, not only to the Minster but to everyone.

"We are in the early stages at the moment. When things really start to happen it's going to be really exciting for the people of York."

Updated: 09:32 Saturday, June 04, 2005