Members of a north Norfolk church which is set to undergo major repairs are inviting bids from contractors for the work.

St Margaret Church in Suffield received �164,000 in a �1.4m round of grants given out by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund in March this year.

The repairs which need to be carried out at the church include creating safe access to their belfry tower, repairing the leaking roof in north aisle which has caused a lot of the plaster work on the walls in the church to break up and crumble, and repairing damage which has occurred to the clerestory windows,

The estimated amount needed to carry out the work is �170,000. Expressions of interest from contractors to carry out the work have been invited, with a view to starting the work in March 2011.

Mike Hubbard, treasurer of the friends of Suffield Church, said: 'Money has also been raised to help with the repairs locally, with a number of events, including giving out Smartie tubes to villagers and asking them to return them filled with coins, a bric-a-brac stall at Aylsham Market and a music and ploughmans' event in the village hall.'