A CHURCH has used its stained-glass windows as inspiration for its first flower festival in nearly 30 years.

Reflections, at St Catherine’s Church, Crook, County Durham, this weekend, draws on the stories portrayed in its windows for a series of colourful arrangements.

It was opened last night by Northern Echo columnist Mike Amos, and the Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Tom Wright, will give an evening service on Sunday at 6pm.

Garlands to the Boys’ and Girls’ Brigades, St George and St Aidan are among the arrangements at the 19th Century church.

The church’s patron, the nurse St Catherine of Genoa, and former church reader Norman Smith are also honoured and a “teddy bear’s picnic” – a corner of decorated stones and shrubs grown by children – will greet visitors near the entrance.

Church member Christine Carroll, 63, has been organising the event since last July. “We have not had a flower festival here for almost 28 years,” she said.

“Everyone has interpreted it differently so we have some modern and some traditional.

“We have an 80-year-old woman who went for a modern interpretation. I went for the traditional.”