ONE of Bicester's oldest churches has invited people to celebrate recent repair works at a heritage day.

St Edburg’s Church in Church Street is undergoing restoration, which has meant the building has been covered in scaffolding for a number of months.

It came after a windfall from the Heritage lottery Fund was awarded the the church to undertake the work on its tower.

St Edburg’s church committee chairman Colin Duckworth said: "It will not have gone unnoticed by the people of Bicester that the tower of St. Edburg’s Church is currently covered in scaffolding.

"Thanks to a generous grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund much needed restoration and renovation work is being carried out.

"Significant weather damage to the four top pinnacles means much repair is required."

The church was awarded cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund for restoration of its Grade I Listed building, parts of which date back 900 years.

Scaffolding was put up around the tower to allow repairs to weather-damage pinnacles and loose masonry.

But as part of the plans to revitalise the church's appearance outside it is hoped that an exhibition on its heritage will bring the project to a wider audience.

The committee of the church is staging a celebratory heritage day on Saturday, September 9, to mark the works.

Mr Duckworth said the free exhibition day will show how the town of Bicester and the church have worked together over the past 1,000 years.

He added: “Everyone will be able to explore our town’s oldest and most amazing building and find out how church and community have worked alongside each other to nurture, serve and educate.

“Members of the church will be around to welcome and help with the activities provided.”

The event is part of Heritage Open Days festival and will include exhibitions, trails, activities and re-enactments at the church.

The wider festival will see 5,000 free events all over the country over four days in September.

At St Edburg's Church there will be the chance to see artefacts, follow trails round the building, paint and draw, with church history guides and history books available.

It will also stage the History Comes To Life event, including reenactments of historical events which have taken place in the church, from 2pm and again at 3.30pm.

People are invited to join in with their own costumes or bring along stories, photographs and memorabilia of the church.

For more information on St Edburg's Church contact the office on 01869 323375.