Final touches to restoration of fire-damaged church

St Brandon's Church had been a place of worship since Mediaeval times. Then, one night in September 1998, hundreds of years of history were destroyed.

Fire swept through the building at Brancepeth in County Durham, leaving little but the shell of the building.

Despite the shock and sadness of the community, efforts began immediately to save and restore the church.

Now, more than fifteen years and £3 million pounds later, the final touches are being made to the restoration.

A new stained glass window has been installed at the east end of the church. The modern, bold design has been created by designer Helen Whittaker, at Barley Studio in York. It is called the 'Paradise Window', reflecting St Brandon's own journey to an exotic island, recorded in a book from around 900 AD.

Even for skilled craftspeople, this has been a challenging commission.

Despite the church's Saxon origins and Mediaeval structure, the restoration has given the building a light, bright and modern feel.

The same can be said of the new window, which is bold and colourful.

The east window is the final piece in the restoration jigsaw. The scaffolding will come down shortly. The window will then be dedicated by the new Bishop of Durham at a service on 18th May 2014.

Watch my full report from St Brandon's Church here: