A project to carry out vital restoration work on a historic north Norfolk church can now go ahead after a £182,000 lottery grant was received by South Creake Parochial Church Council.

The grant will be spent improving All Saints Waterden to make the roof and porch watertight, combat damp, repair walls and do other essential work to preserve the 11th century building for future generations.

Although services and other events are held in the church, its poor condition means it is currently on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register.

Fr Clive Wylie, Rector of Waterden and Vicar of South Creake, said: 'All Saints Church is a wonderful place of great spirituality and peace.

'I am delighted that we have received this support for our 1,000-year-old church thanks to the National Lottery players and I hope it will help to secure its future for another 1,000 years.'

The project will cost £235,000 overall and has also been made possible by generous donations from other grant funders.

The Norfolk Churches Trust are donating £10,000, the Garfield Weston Foundation £7,500, the Geoffrey Watling Charity £1,000 and the Holkham Estate has also given £3,000.

As part of the project, research into the history of the church and the nearby lost village of Waterden will also be carried out.

The village disappeared in the late Middle Ages but it is unclear why, so new literature will be prepared to inform the public about the Grade II listed building and the village.

Robyn Llewellyn, head of Heritage Lottery Fund, East of England said: 'We have been delighted to support All Saints Waterden to carry out urgent repairs and to make the history of this fascinating church accessible to more people.

'Thank you to the National Lottery players who have made it possible.'

The project will also ensure that the church is made more accessible to visitors and worshippers, which will be helped by a small new car park on land leased from the Holkham Estate, an orientation board in the car park and new road signs.

A community group, the Friends of All Saints Waterden, has also been established to help care for the church and to maintain the churchyard.