A south Norfolk village hall has boosted its green credentials after installing its own wind turbine to slash the size of its electricity bills.

The mast at Wreningham, near Wymondham, first started turning two weeks ago after receiving more than �30,000 of funding to lower its carbon footprint.

Now the village hall is set to host an art exhibition at the weekend to help pay off a �5,000 shortfall from the wind turbine project.

The 15 metre-high mast is set to significantly reduce the village hall's �4,000 a year electricity bill and the renewable energy generated will help power local homes when the community building is not being used.

The works of more than 50 artists from across Norfolk and north Suffolk will be displayed at the 35-year-old hall from Friday to help pay the arrears from the �36,000 scheme.

Hall chairman and art exhibition organiser Christine Minns said the village was leading the way after a turbine was identified as the most suitable way to generate their own renewable energy. She added that the mast in the car park had received a largely positive response from residents.

'Wreningham has quite a large number of people that are very green in their outlook. As a village, we have got quite a strong green element and the parish council gave us the blessing and because it is at tree level, few people can see it.'

'We get paid for every unit of electricity whether we use it on site or it goes into the National Grid. Once this is done we will go into phase II and look to improve the insulation,' she said.

The village hall committee received grants from the Low Carbon Building Programme and Community Sustainable Energy Project totalling about �31,000 to fund the project.

More than 250 pieces of artwork, including watercolours, oils, acrylics, and embroidery, will be on sale over the weekend. A preview evening will take place on Friday between 8pm and 10pm. Admission is �4, including a glass of wine.

The event continues at the hall in Mill Lane between 10am and 5pm on Saturday and 10am and 4pm on Sunday. Entrance is �1.50. Primary school pupils will also be displaying their work.