THE restoration of a Fairford church is due to be completed by the end of the year.

The Catholic parish church of St Thomas of Canterbury in Horcott Road was built in 1845. In the past few years it has undergone a programme of restoration, including being reroofed and repainted.

Currently three of its stained glass windows have been taken away to be restored at a cost of around £5,000.

Parish priest Father Richard Barton said: "It is a small Victorian church and is the second oldest Catholic church in the Cotswolds."

Restorers intend to re-lead the windows, replace crude repairs and repaint the faded areas, but they will be returned to the church in time for Easter.

And in the next stage of the restoration programme the dry stone walls around the church will be repaired and the presbytery re-roofed.

It is thought that the entire project will have cost around £60,000 by the time it is finished.

Father Barton said: "We are trying to raise the money as soon as possible. So far funds have been raised through grants and the generous giving of parishioners and friends."