A service was held to mark the £56,000 restoration of a church's 260 year old bells.

The Rt Rev Steven Cottrell, Bishop of Chelmsford, held the service at St Thomas the Apostle church in Bradwell on Sea.

Plans to restore the bells, some of which date back to 1744, started in 2013.

Two smaller bells, which had been missing for more than 100 years, were replaced to give the tower eight bells and the six existing bells restored.

The churched raised the money after a year of fundraising and grants from the Leche Trust, the Sharpe Trust, Allchurches Trust, Heritage Lottery, Essex Heritage Trust and the Essex Association Bell Restoration Fund.

The new bells were cast in June and following the refurbishment of the existing bells, they were hung in August.

The service, held last Sunday, was also held to mark the completion of work on the church porch which began in the year 2000.

It saw a new stone floor, glass doors and bronze framed windows installed.

The project was funded by the income from a flower festival dedicated to Donna Carter, family and friends donations in memory of Hazel Thorpe, private donations and a grant from the Essex Community Grant from the Bradwell Wind Farm to facilitated the entrance of the church for disabled access.