Villagers have raised more than 60,000 in a month to transform their parish church belltower.

Work to be done at St Mary's, Haddenham, near Thame, includes installing a lavatory and kitchen, putting in a false floor to make a sound-proofed creche, improving access for the disabled and restoring the church organ.

The whole project will cost 120,000.

The fundraising was laun- ched at a harvest festival weekend that included a session in the stocks for the vicar, the Rev Chris Denham, which raised 1,000. The rest has been raised or pledged since then.

Mr Denham said applications could now go ahead to charities and other organisations for grants.

He added: "There have been one or two people against the project as they want the church building to stay as it is. But this church has evolved over the last 900 years from a tiny building to having many additions which have brought it to its present state.

"These new facilities in the tower will be part of that evolution, things that worshippers today require.

"The outside of the church will not be altered at all."