A church which has just seen the completion of a £250,000 improvement programme held a service yesterday to thank all those who have supported the project.

About 200 people came to St Gregory’s Church in Sudbury for the thanksgiving service, which was led by the Archdeacon of Sudbury, The Venerable Dr David Jenkins.

The ancient church is where St Edmund is believed to have been crowned King of East Anglia in 855AD.

The work - made possible by donations and legacies in people’s wills - has brought about long-awaited modern facilities, including toilets for the first time, a “servery” area with oven, dishwasher, fridge and hot water, and refurbished vestry with meeting room and storage space.

The vestry houses the severed head of former Archbishop of Canterbury Simon of Sudbury who was killed during the Peasants’ Revolt in 1381.

The Reverend Canon Gregory Webb, of St Gregory’s, said: “The congregation has been very enthusiastic. They have been right behind it. Councillors have supported us. Local businesses have given up their time and expertise.

“We have been really well-supported and a lot of them were there today [Sunday] at the service so we could thank them.”

He said the new facilities provided a lot more scope to do things, “particularly with the toilets and catering facilities we will be able to do a lot more”.

“It’s a community church and it’s for the community. I’m sure they will make use of it as well,” he said.

The Centenary Project ties in with the 100th anniversary of the St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocese, which was last year.