South Creake's newly-refurbished Memorial Pavilion will be officially opened by the Duke of Edinburgh today.

Eastern Daily Press: Villagers outside the newly-completed hall in August.Villagers outside the newly-completed hall in August. (Image: Peter Bird)

Villagers raised more than £700,000 to replace South Creake's former War Memorial Institute.

Prince Philip will meet the fund raisers, trustees, builders and architects behind the project.

He will also be shown how the community uses the new facility, meeting members of a fitness class, sports clubs, an art class and primary school children.

The Duke will unveil a plaque after a service dedicating the building to villagers who fell in the first and second world wars.

The original War Memorial Institute was purchased by South Creake village in 1920. It closed in 2003 and since then the village has not had a venue to hold meetings, or community activities.

The new building is multi-functional with changing rooms for the sporting activities, a hall which can be used for indoor sports and community social events, a room for meetings and a kitchen.

The environmentally-friendly buidling boasts solar panels, a heat-pump and under floor heating. Rainwater is stored for bowling green irrigation and other outdoor needs.

The design is 'barn style' and the construction is traditional flint and red brick with a Norfolk 'pan-tile' type roof, the aim being for the building to weather and blend in with the existing surroundings.

Yesterday, the Queen and Duke toured King's Lynn's new fire station before performing its official opening.