SUPPORTERS of a major restoration project at St Wulstan's RC Church in Little Malvern gathered to celebrate its success.

Among the congregation on Sunday was the Abbot of Downside, Dom Richard Yeo, who presided over a celebratory mass for the completion of the re-roofing of the building.

The Downside community has contributed £50,000 towards the project in the shape of a loan.

Chatting to project supporters afterwards, Dom Richard said that £25,000 of that is now being converted to a grant.

Project spokesman Lt Col James Sweetman said: "It was a very nice surprise for everyone."

He said that the last £5,000 had also been raised to pay for restoration work in the baptistry.

Cotswold-based specialist art restorer The Perry Lithgow Partnership is expected to begin cleaning and restoration of the decoration in the baptistry on February 23.

The work is expected to last five and a half weeks.

The final touches were being put to the re-roofing and stonework restoration this week and scaffolding is expected to come down shortly.

There are also plans to resurface the driveway of the church and carry out landscaping.

The aim is to have everything complete by June 2, the opening day of the inaugural Elgar Festival.

Elgar is buried at St Wulstan's and the church will host the opening event of the festival, a talk on Elgar in Malvern by Cora Weaver.