A small west Norfolk community's new £222,000 community and sports pavilion should be open by next Easter.

Planning permission has been granted for a new single building on the playing field in Welney, near Downham Market.

It will support a range of village activities, including meetings of the WI, friendship club and residents' user group, plus sport including cricket, table tennis, yoga, carpet bowls and dog training.

The parish council raised the money for the new building, thanks to grants of £127,000 from the Marshals Charity Welney, £38,000 from Wren's FCC Communities Fund and £43,000 from the Sport England Inspired Facilities Fund.

Customers of Waitrose in Ely also gave more than £200 from their charities of the month, and the Welney water gala and sports and fun day raised a further £2,700, which, together with council funds of more than £8,500, from previous events, reached the £222,000 needed.

Parish council chairman Ken Goodger said: 'The current village hall was built in the 1920s, and is past its sell-by date, as is the secondhand sports pavilion. This means we can move into the 21st century, with a more heat efficient, modern building for villagers to use.'

It will be built by MRC Modular, of Downham Market, and will have a green energy system of solar panels and air source heat pumps. Building work should start next March with an opening at Easter.

Has your village or town something to celebrate? Email david.bale2@archant.co.uk