WORKS to increase access at St John's Methodist Church have reached completion.

The main aim of the build works have been to remove the steps leading up to the church and replace them with a more access friendly ramp.

The church will now hold an opening ceremony at 2.30pm on Saturday, June 29, which will see their oldest parishioner, 99-year-old Reg Hall cutting the ribbon.

Also appearing for the opening ceremony will be former minister, Michael Parrott.

"This has been the biggest contract ever carried out on our church in the last 140 years," said Church steward, Maurice Latham.

"We owe Jim [Walwyn] a great deal of gratitude for the time and effort he, with the help of many others, has given to the task of pushing it to a conclusion.

"After four months of work the builders, after a number of deadline dates have come and gone, are all but finished."

Chris Crowther added: "It looks good at night when the lights are one, you can't fully appreciate it in the day.

"The stone looks cream at the moment, but it's the same stone the church is made of. In a year or two it will be exactly the same colour."

The opening ceremony will be followed by an exhibition on the church, as well as tea and cake.