Local Middleton Park councillor Geoff Driver was on hand to cut the ribbon.

The improvements, which have taken five years to complete, are the result of hard work by local churchgoers and the wider community.

Improvements include a brand new kitchen, a refurbished main community hall and a smaller meeting room. The building has also been brought up to scratch in order to meet requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act and so now includes ramps for access, disabled toilets and a lift.

Coun Driver (Lab, Middleton Park Ward) said: "I was extremely happy to be asked to open the new facilities at Middleton Methodist Church.

"They have been designed for the local community to use and groups such as Slimming World, Pyramid of Arts and a Tuesday After School Club already take advantage of them.

"A lot of the work has been done by members of the church here and it really has been a labour of love."

The Church contributed £20,000 to the scheme, with extra money coming from fundraising and sponsorship from local businesses.

Steve Day, Minister at Middleton Methodist Church, said: "I am really proud that this project has finally been completed after five years of planning, fundraising and building.

"We are now seeing the results of our hard work and we are delighted that we can offer local people facilities that are far superior to what we previously had and that we can be genuinely proud of."