Royal memorabilia ranging from to coronation mugs to china corgis was on show at Baconsthorpe church on Sunday, as part of an early jubilee celebration organised to help raise funds towards a �40,000 roof renovation appeal.

Among the dozens of items on show at the event were a pair of chairs used at the Queen's coronation in 1953, robes worn at the ceremony by Lady Walpole of Wolterton, and coronation books, postcards and souvenirs loaned by local people.

Organisers also provided jubilee-themed refreshments and made Union Jack buns and biscuits, with congregation member Yvonne Delany running a raffle offering a magnum of champagne and two of her own homemade royal-themed cakes as prizes.

The church font was decorated with a crown, flags and a photographic display showing village celebrations during the Queen's 1977 silver jubilee, while the walls of the church were adorned with Union Jack bunting and portraits of the Queen painted by local primary and nursery school children.

Parochial church council secretary Corinne Youngs, who was part of a four-strong team of organisers, said the two-day jubilee celebration came about after PCC chairman Theresa Courtauld offered to loan the church two coronation chairs owned by her father, former MP Sir Charles Mott-Radclyffe.

'It just snowballed from there,' Mrs Youngs explained. 'We had a wonderful response to our appeal for memorabilia and someone even brought in samples from the factory in Clerkenwell that embroidered the chairs.'

Proceeds from the weekend event will go towards an appeal to raise �40,000 towards the cost of �140,000 of repairs needed to the church roof.