A CHURCH organ is about to take pride of place in one of Australia's finest stately homes -- after completing a 12,000 journey all the way from East Lancashire.

Parishioners at All Hallows Church, Mitton, were amazed when a buyer from Down Under came forward after they advertised their pipe organ over the internet and in magazines.

New owners bought the organ for £500 -- but have since paid £20,000 to cover the cost of dismantling it, shipping it half way around the world and re-assembling it at Sydney's Abercrombie House. The house is owned by Rex Morgan MBE and his family. Mr Morgan is president of the Rex Morgan Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the encouragement of worthwhile pursuits.

It took more than 30 days to transport the organ and the foundation is now waiting for experts to install it in the ballroom.

Abercrombie House has 40 rooms, was built in 1870 and designed by the architect Mansfield, the Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales.

The building contains a museum and archives of the Australian-British monarchy.

Mr Morgan also has the largest collection in the world of Austin Sheerline luxury cars, which are on display.

The foundation also pays for children's residential camps during the school holidays.

The organ will be used for public recitals and Christian worship as there are many groups of children who visit the house.

The organ, built in 1903, was sold because it obscured the entrance to the old church tower, which is now used as a meeting place for church-goers.

Mr Morgan hopes that All Hallows will join in a grand celebration to coincide with the organ's centenary, which organisers are now planning.

The organ was donated to the church by the Eastham family. The organ had a plaque inscribed with a memorial from his nieces Edith, Maud and Margaret to William Eastham, who was a solicitor in Clitheroe. Peter Lancaster, Mitton church warden, said: "I am really glad that the organ has gone to a good home where it will be fully restored.

"I am all for the Commonwealth and strongly believe that the organ should stay with our people.

"The sale of the organ was necessary and we now have an area for meeting and spending time with one another."

During the Millennium project to restore the church, the organ was removed so that rooms could be made in the 15th century tower. A new digital organ was bought.

After 27 years of dedicated service, the church organist, Eileen Spurgeon, of Bashall Eaves, Clitheroe, died. She played the organ up to one week before she died, and it was last played at her funeral.