A magnificent piece of Tooting's history could be lost forever unless steps are taken to restore the old organ of All Saints church.

The instrument's melodic sounds are treasured by the 100-strong congregation.

Made with the best quality materials and technology of the early 1900s, it is the type of organ usually seen in large cathedrals.

As the poet Sir John Betjeman once said: "All Saints is a masterpiece, hidden there on Tooting height, and surely deserves to be a place of pilgrimage. I think it should really have been the cathedral for south London."

Now the church wants to embark on a huge project to carry out repairs and invite everyone in the community to use the unusual organ.

Think rappers in church, think DJs, think tubes with bubbles, sound analytics using lights and computers, screens linking the community to people across the world and even cameras inside the organ to show how it works.

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As the organ was built on the cusp of innovation at the turn of the century, it seems only fitting they use modern technology to engage people today.

These are just some of the ambitious ideas they want to put in their five year plan to get people using the organ who might not have considered it before.

Woolf van Silver, 76, sings in the church choir and is managing the church's funding application for up to £250,000.

He said: "This is an organ that has retained its romantic and lyrical sounds of time, but also grandeur and strength.

"It can play not only romantic period music but baroque and classical - a very cathedral sound inside a parish church. You have got the best of all worlds.

"By the time you have covered all costs including transport and scaffolding it will be the best part of £250,000.

"Why do this just for the benefit of the congregation? What we need to do is have a programme involving people in schools, people who are deaf, disabled, people who love concerts - everyone.

"What we want is to have the best of techniques used to do the repairs and restoration but we want to use 21st century techniques.

"It must be for the people, of all denominations, for the benefit of everybody - anyone in the world.

"It can be used for accompaniment to silent films. It can be used by rappers. A DJ mixes and scratches things together - they are like a little orchestra.

"Everybody I have spoken to is keen on it, everybody said it’s wonderful.

"If we don’t make use of resources and protect what we have we miss out as it becomes too late to use them. This is a wonderful resource, let’s make use of it with and by the community."

Mr van Silver said the church had already started talking to people of different faiths and humanists. The church is now planning on entering a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund.

All Saints church is grade II listed and was completed in 1906. Built in a 14th century style, parts of the church’s interior can trace their roots back to 16th Europe.

The organ, made by Harrison and Harrison has 2,640 pipes, three keyboards, a pedal board and 41 stops. The pipes are divided into sets and controlled by the use of hand stops, while the keys control the notes.

The organ console has , underground wires coming out of it which connect the electrical system to the pneumatic pipe system.

Mr van Silver estimated repairs would take up to six months and include fixing the leathers of the organ's main wind chest and works on the sound boards, motors, valves and felting.

Many of the pipes have not been accessed for more than a century and need to be cleaned.

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Reverend Simon Metzner said: "It is a piece of musical history. It was original to the building, completed in 1906. It is really quite a remarkable organ.

"It is not normal for a parish church to have an organ this good. It has a fantastic sound, it is lovely. It is a big building but the sound fills the building when played. It is a very inspiring and uplifting sound."