DELIGHTED campaigners are celebrating after a Gwent church was awarded £70,000 to restore rare murals.

St Mary's Church at Llanfair Kilgeddin near Abergavenny was given £40,000 by Welsh historic monuments body CADW and £30,000 from The Pilgrim Trust in memory of the late Roy Jenkins to restore "sgraffito" murals painted by Heywood Sumner in 1888, a key figure in the Arts and Crafts movement.

"We are absolutely delighted," said Matthew Saunders, honorary director of the Friends of Friendless Churches who own the building.

Sgraffito is decoration by cutting away parts of a surface layer (such as plaster or clay) to expose a different coloured background.

It was a popular technique for pottery decoration with the Venetians and Byzantines.

The five foot high panels surrounding the interior of the church depict rural life and scenery, angels, saints and a figure of Christ. They are etched in layers of coloured plaster.

Mr Saunders said: "The cash will allow us to restore the amazing plaster decorations inside the church walls. It is a rare building and the wall panels make a sweet little church into something remarkable."

The CADW funding is part of a £270,000 handout to 11 historic buildings across Wales. The Pilgrim Trust award is a special gift in memory of Gwent-born politician Roy Jenkins who was a trustee.

The church, rebuilt in 1875-6 using some of the features saved from a medieval church on the site, was closed to the public in 1988 following reports of structural problems.

To save it from demolition it was bought by the Friends who have already spent somewhere approaching £30,000 in making it safe.

Church warden at the time of its closure Maurice Trumper said the village and local friends of the church were thrilled with the financial boost.

"The sgraffito is so rare it is the only example in Wales and possibly one of two in Britain," said Mr Trumper.

"It was completed as a dedication to the late wife of the Rev William Lindsay."