ONE of the region's most historic Christian sites has been reopened to tourists after a £500,000 refurbishment.

The 12th Century St Hilda's Church, in Hartlepool, has had new facilities installed to attract tourists.

The church, built on the site of a Seventh Century monastery once led by St Hilda, who founded Whitby monastery, North Yorkshire, has been cleaned and its most interesting historical features highlighted.

North Hartlepool Partnership has invested £488,000 and the congregation raised £30,000 for the scheme.

New facilities include an interactive computer, which provides images and information while history boards tells story of the church through the lives of people who served and worked there.

Characters brought to life include those of Hilda herself and the De Brus family, which built the church.

John Hogg, a member of the church's Parochial Church Council, said the church would continue to be primarily a place of worship.

He said: "I'm a relative newcomer here, I've only been coming since 1967.

"These changes are fantastic for the church. We've had masons in here and they were particularly pleased with the section on the master mason who built the original building. They say 'That's us represented at last'."

Church warden Keith Faint said that some of the church's furniture had been moved to accommodate tourists.

"These days we've got to get funding from wherever we can. If the tourists can help us that is great, but the main thing is for it to continue as a working church," he said.

Denis Waller, chairman of the North Hartlepool Partnership, said the church was the jewel of the Headland area of Hartlepool.

The tourist development of the church has been devised by York-based consultants Past Forward, which has created museums at Whitby Abbey and Manchester Cathedral, although this is the first time the company has actually worked inside a church itself.

Other facilities include headphones that provide commentary about the church and the Saxon monastery, as well as disabled access and a tea and coffee area. The church has also been cleaned of centuries of grime.

The facilities will be officially opened at the end of next month, but the public can experience them from 2pm to 4pm on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.