For two years, dedicated fund-raisers at St Jude's Church in Netherton, Peterborough, have been putting their minds to dreaming up a string of moneyspinners – raising an incredible £20,000 for their community building and meeting room roof fund.

The flat roof of the church, built in 1969 and extended in 1977 and 1984 was getting permanently water-logged, leaving the ceiling damaged.

But they were still long way off their target.

After applying for a £50,000 landfill communities fund, operated by WREN, however, they are set to have a new and improved building.

Church warden Janet Bains said: "It's fantastic. It's an enormous relief. We never thought we would get that money.

"We were only going to apply for £30,000 at first. We have to raise 10 per cent of the grant ourselves.

"We held a special gift day recently.

"Everyone was so generous and we raised more than £3,000 extra for the roof fund."

Work is due to start in January and will include double glazing and revamping of the front door.