The Archbishop of Canterbury is to make a morale-boosting visit to a church which is undergoing a major rebuilding programme.

The Most Rev George Carey will be meeting with members of the appeal fund, who are trying to raise £870,000 for St John's in Great Clacton, next month.

The church opened up on December 31 for the first time in 13 years for a special one-off millennium service.

It is hoped it will reopen again for regular Sunday services in May.

The archbishop will be preaching in St John's in a short service during the visit on February 20.

David Smith, treasurer of the appeal fund, said: "We are extremely delighted. It is a great honour and tremendous encouragement to everyone involved with the church."

Mr Smith said that he believed it was the first time the head of the Anglican Church in England had visited the town.

The archbishop's visit will be part of a four-day trip to the Chelmsford Diocese, to also include a visit to Harwich.

In Clacton the archbishop will be joined by the Bishops of Chelmsford and Colchester, and will have lunch with guests in St John's Church hall, followed by the service at 2.20pm.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.