RESIDENTS in a Suffolk village are today celebrating after learning they were getting thousands of pounds to help preserve medieval wall paintings in their church.

Laurence Cawley

RESIDENTS in a Suffolk village are today celebrating after learning they were getting thousands of pounds to help preserve medieval wall paintings in their church.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has agreed to give £50,000 to St Mary's Church in Troston, near Bury St Edmunds.

The money will be used by the church's conservator to preserve the paintings, which depict religious subjects including the murder of St Edmund, for future generations.

Susan Sollohub, secretary of Troston Heritage Appeal, said: “They are in pretty good shape but this will conserve them for the future. They are fantastic paintings.”