Two concerts are being held in Nailsea to help raise funds towards the restoration of an historic barn.

The concerts are being held ahead of the annual Nailsea Music Festival in May.

All the money raised at the two gigs will go towards an £850,000 project to restore the 15th-century tithe barn.

Cash for the restoration project has attracted a £500,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a promise of £150,000 from Nailsea Town Council.

The council is also in the process of selling its HQ at Silver Street to Nailsea Baptist Church to raise the extra funds.

Once the barn is restored the council will move to offices being created in the barn as part of the revamp.

Money has also been raised from a Sponsor a Beam initiative, the music festival and churches.

The first concert is an Irish night at the Ring of Bells pub on March 20 and will be an informal night with jigs and reels and Irish songs.

The Harry Browns, a seven strong outfit the songs of which capture stories of Bristol and the West Country, will be performing at Holy Trinity Church on March 24

More information about the upcoming Nailsea Music Festival can be found by logging on to www.nailseafestival.org.uk.