A BRADFORD on Avon church which has reopened after undergoing a £2m refurbishment now has the 'wow' factor, according to its vicar.

The keys to Holy Trinity Church were handed over to the Rev Joanna Abecassis after builders completed the 10-month long project.

Along with a new Bath Stone floor there is a new tower room with a glass screen and oak stairs up from the choir vestry, a single-storey extension with an office and toilets, new glass doors, new windows in the porch, a new kitchen, new drainage, lighting and sound system and underfloor heating.

Monuments charting the church's history which were removed from the walls during the restoration, have been cleaned and restored and will be put in next week, along with furniture and seating, ready for the first Sunday service on December 18, when the Bishop of Salisbury will lead prayers.

However, since the church opened its doors to the public, visitors have been invited to jot down their views on the new look – and so far they have been overwhelmingly positive.

"When we took back possession of the church from the builders it was an incredibly emotional and heart-warming moment for the congregation," said Mrs Abecassis.

"Finally being able to look upon the golden walls and this wonderful church is a wonderful feeling. It just looks stunning.

"What has made it even more special is the fact that so many people have come in and written down how fantastic it all looks. It is such a worthwhile investment.

"People have their doubts when you 'modernise' a church but what we have done is restore this fantastic medieval building, making it look more impressive and state-of-the-art with the lighting, sound and heating. It is just brilliant."

The work was mainly paid for through the sale of the Quentin Metsys painting Christ Blessing in 2013, along with grants and donations from residents and backers.

Rev Abecassis said that when the church is completely finished it will be the biggest venue in the town centre, and she hopes it will host a vast array of events for all the community.

"I am so excited to see the final product and for it to be a new superb venue for the town to enjoy. It should seat over 400 people so it can really be a huge asset for the community," she added.

She plans to hold educational and musical events at the Grade I listed building, with the first being the annual Christmas tree festival from December 6-11.