When Walter Maunsel became the first Rector of St Mary's Church in Lidgate, in 1302, he probably didn't imagine it being able to capture the power of the sun and turn it into electricity.

But in 2006, that's exactly what happened, when the parishioners celebrated the installation of a solar power system, funded in part by the Green Energy Trust.

Facing essential repairs and rising fuel costs, the church decided to look at sources of power that would look after the environment as well as meet their needs.

The Trust gave a £6,000 grant towards the cost of fitting an array of solar panels behind the parapet of the conservation village's church tower. St Mary's Church is also installing a new toilet that uses harvested rainwater. The solar panels will ultimately be connected to the National Grid to allow the church to sell the surplus electricity they collect.

The vicar, Rev Ian Finn, said; "We are being encouraged to use buildings in different ways and we think it's a fairly imaginative way of using current technology. If it works well it could have long-term implications for other churches and other buildings."