PARISHIONERS in Farnworth are finally celebrating the success of a project to restore their crumbling church to its former glory -- after more than 10 years.

Nearly half a million pounds has been spent to give St John the Evangelist Church in Church Street a new look after widespread dry rot was discovered.

Heritage grants, fund-raising and Lottery awards have raised more than £450,000 to make improvements to the listed building, which dates back to 1826. Parishioners have raised £220,000 themselves.

Today -- after the church passed a final test by architects -- church officials said the work would easily maintain the building for the next decade.

Team Rector Felicity Shaw said: "I would like to thank everyone for their hard work over the years. It is an amazing achievement and the start of a new era."

The church's problems began in 1991 when graves beneath the East wall subsided, forcing the whole wall to be rebuilt.

Dry rot in beams and walls was discovered two years later and a major period of redevelopment, split into four stages, began.

Since then, new roofing and guttering for the West end church tower and other walls has taken place and the church was closed for nine months from January 1998.

Miss Shaw added: "The hardest part was trying to carry on as a church. We had to hold services in the neighbouring school and people could not get married or baptised there."

The final stage of the project, the restoration of the North and South porches, is now complete and worshippers will enjoy Easter in fabulous new surroundings. Re-wiring, lighting installation and re-plastering has also taken place throughout the church.

Miss Shaw said: "People are really pleased with the new church."

The church, which belongs to the East Farnworth and Kearsley Parish, celebrated its 175th anniversary last year.