CHURCH-goers will celebrate the second phase of major restoration work at the weekend.

Work has been carried on the exterior stonework at St Helen’s church in Kelloe – a Grade 1 listed building on the 'at risk register’.

The project has been helped with a Heritage Lottery Fund cash boost of £193,000.

As part of Heritage Open Days, activities will be held at the church from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

It will include an appearance by the St Cuthbert's Land reenactment group, who will be camping on site over the weekend and demonstrating what life was like when the church was first built in the 12th century.

On Saturday a master mason will be demonstrating how lime and water was mixed and used in the Middle Ages.

St Helen’s Church is home to a rare 12th century cross to St Helen, the empress and mother of the Christian emperor of Rome, Constantine.

The next phase of work at the church will including the provision of catering facilities and toilets.