IT IS smiles all round for worshippers at a village church after it was given a crucial £500,000 makeover – after more than a century.

For the past 12 months, members of Bladon Methodist Church have been working hard to overhaul the building, which was in urgent need of renovation.

St Martin's Church was built in the village, near Woodstock, in 1843 but not had benefited from any development for more than 100 years.

Churchgoer Philip Rumsby said: "The premises were woefully inadequate for the needs of the church and the village today.

"The building was in urgent need of renovation and without this work taking place the church would have closed.

"The roof was leaking, the ceilings and floors were collapsing and the single outside toilet was damp, cold and not appropriate for modern day use. There was also a desperate lack of space."

The church is home of Bladon Junior Church, one of the largest junior churches in Oxfordshire. The project has given them more space in which to meet and to rehearse for various stage productions.

The project cost over £500,000 which was raised through local fundraising and applying for grants from charitable trusts.

It has seen the floor area almost double in size and seen the installation of inside toilets, central heating, disabled access and hot water.

Mr Rumsby added: "We are really excited about the possibilities the new building will open up for our church and the community."