WORK to create the UK's first carbon zero church is set to finish at the end of next month.

Trend-setting St Michael's and All Angels, in Withington, will be able to boast it is the most environmentally-friendly place of worship in the land.

The grade one listed Norman church is no longer going to give out carbon dioxide. And bills will plummet.

Electricity will come from 22 solar panels on the roof and heating from a biomass boiler burning wood pellets.

Internal lights have been changed to low energy use, using 20 watt bulbs, reducing electricity demand by 40 per cent. Outside floodlights will only be on from dusk to 10.30pm in winter.

Project manager and former resident, Matt Fulford, said: "No other church, as yet, has combined all these things in one package. We've had a £1,500 energy cost a year, but now we're going to have an income of around £500 instead.

"From the electricity we generate, we get a 'feed-in' tariff for small generators from the utility company and this will provide enough to buy our boiler's sawdust pellets."

The £40,000 project has been funded by grants from the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust, the Low Carbon Buildings Programme from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Big Lottery Community Sustainable Energy Programme and a generous private donation.

The church also used some of its own funds earmarked for replacing an old oil-fired boiler.

Parishioners have praised the transformation.

Mr Fulford, who heads the international built asset consultancy EC Harris, said: "We've had 100 per cent positive feedback from the community.

"We've been very careful that work won't affect the appearance or experience of the church and the large percentage of visitors would not realise it's taken place."

A digital display showing energy generated, as opposed to energy used, will be installed in the church and an official launch is planned.