A TRUST set up to save a church from the brink of demolition is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a charity.

St Peter’s Church in Marlborough now opens seven days a week and hosts a range of concerts and community events alongside traditional church services.

St Peter's and St Paul's Marlborough Trust was set up in 1978 when the church, believed to date back to 1460, was under threat of being torn down.

However the team of volunteers turned the decision around and the church has since been restored. They now plan to celebrate the charity’s birthday with a summer of parties.

Trust chairman, David Du Croz, said: "40 years on St Peter's is the very opposite of a redundant church - busy, bustling, smart, and full of life - thanks in no small measure to the support of the local community. Thank you, Marlborough!"

In recognition of the anniversary, the trustees's have agreed to let local groups hire the church for free throughout 2018 to thank the community for their support of the trust.

Festivities to celebrate this important milestone include a flower festival and the annual Festal Evensong with the Rev. Canon Keith Lamdin in July.