THE community of Walkhampton was out in force last Saturday (June 6) to celebrate the official opening of the brand new facilities at St Mary's Church.

The church now benefits from a full disabled toilet installed in the bell tower and a new floor, added so the bell ringers can continue to ring with access via a new spiral staircase with glass surround and glass balcony at first floor level. Plus there is a new kitchen which has been finished with an etched glass screen with Dartmoor scenes etched into the glass.

Funds for the new facilities have been raised since 2003 as well as the church receiving a large legacy and some grants from local and national charities.

More than £250 was raised during the party for 'Toilet Twinning', a charity that builds toilets in third world countries.

The Rev Preb Nick Shutt, Rector of the West Dartmoor Mission Community, said: 'We have spent a great deal of time and effort over the last 12 years raising money to build our own toilet facilities here in St Mary's so it is really good that we can also give generously to a charity working to bring sanitation to 2.5-billion people in the world who do not have access to things that we take for granted.'

St Mary's Church is open on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons between 2pm and 4pm when refreshments are served for everyone who wants to visit.