CHURCH-GOERS have taken advantage of urgently-needed roof repairs to give their Victorian building a facelift.

The congregation at St Stephen's Church, in Kearsley, were forced to spend more than £30,000 on repairs last summer when a diocesan architect discovered that the ceiling was unsafe.

And while the scaffolding was up, worshippers re-decorated the church for the first time in more than 40 years.

The congregation will hold a thanksgiving service next weekend to celebrate the completion of the work.

During the six-month redecoration project, eight volunteers set to work in their spare time.

They worked through the week, while others cleared up in time for Sunday services to go ahead as usual.

The team painted the ceiling and walls, gave the pillars a fresh look with decorative embossed plaster, and picked out the font and pulpit in bright colours.

The Rev Kevin Wainwright, vicar of St Stephen's, said: "It really is brilliant. It has a totally different appearance now."

Rev Wainwright did his bit for the project by losing two stone in a sponsored slim to raise the cash for a new altar frontal.

The service of thanksgiving, to be held on Sunday, April 27, will be conducted by the Archdeacon of Bolton, the Ven Dr John Applegate.

But despite their success, the volunteers cannot rest for long --as cracks have been found in the church tower, built in 1871.

Repairs will need to be carried out in the next few years.

NEW LOOK: St Stephen's Church was redecorated with the help of (standing) Doreen Hooley, Elsie Londshaw, (front) Harold Berry, Tommy Rogers, Bob Grant and George Roberts.