PARISHIONERS are marking a church's 150th anniversary by filling it with flowers and music over the weekend.

A two-day festival at the church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Cuthbert, at Crook, is one of the final events in a series of celebrations.

Fifteen floral displays reflect different aspects of the church's life and heritage while an exhibition chronicles social and religious events in the parish and the town.

The church was designed by Edward Pugin, whose original drawings are part of the display. It opened in 1854, 13 months after the laying of the foundation stone, although the tower, clock and bells were not complete for another 40 years.

By the 1850s, Crook had grown into a thriving industrial town, with new rail links serving collieries and associated industries. The influx of Irish workers at the time is marked in one of the floral arrangements. Another celebrates the parish's mining heritage.

Celia Hetherington, who wrote a history of the church and parish, said: "The church is an exceptionally beautiful building and remarkably grand for a small parish.

"The stained glass windows are lovely and we believe we have the only full peal of bells from here to Alston."

The festival is open from 10am to 5pm today and 11am to 5pm tomorrow. An hourly series of recitals on organ, horn and cornet and Northumbrian pipes continues through the day and a festival concert tonight starts at 7pm.