RESOURCEFUL worshippers will use trees cut down as part of a £1.6million building project for a Communion table, font and lectern for their new church.

Work on the long-awaited project at St Luke's Church, Langley Way, Watford, began this week with the demolition of its old buildings.

The bulldozers were brought in to clear the existing hall and old prefabricated hut attached to the church to make way for a bigger more modern place to congregate.

The old church, built in 1937 will be converted into a hall, and the new building will have more parking to accommodate larger community events.

The church's vicar Rev John Kiddle, who has been at the church 13 years, said the project will benefit the whole community as well as regular worshippers.

He said: "We are very excited to have finally reached this moment, it's taken us nearly ten years and we've learned a great deal.

"I am very grateful to members of the local community for their support. We believe that the new building will be a wonderful resource for a wide range of people."

Money for the project came through fundraising, donations and a legacy, and is expected to be finished by Christmas.

Some trees, including an old Oak and Beech that had to go to make way for parking spaces will be used for the internal fittings, and as benches outside the new building. A cross section of the biggest oak will be mounted inside the church.

Rev Kiddle said: "We were sad we had to take some trees down. They were lovely trees in the old carpark, but the ones in the vicarage garden will remain.

"We wanted to use the wood. It was not about saving money, but more the feel of it, and making it look attractive and having a link with the past."

The church was the daughter church of St Mary's in the town centre and became a parish in its own right in 1958 serving a parish of around 5,000.

Although most of the money has been raised funds are still needed for some of the internal furnishings and equipment.