The spire of 160 year old St Giles Church, Camberwell, believed to be the tallest in south London, has been rebuilt after serious problems with the masonry were discovered in the 1980s. The top 70 feet of its 240 foot height have been replaced, and there will be a service of thanksgiving at St Giles on Sunday 14 May.

The church is also to be floodlit, half of which is being paid for by Southwark Council. The Deputy Mayor will be present at the service and will plant a Millennium yew tree in the park afterwards.

The total cost was over £1 million, which was raised by a Lottery grant of £860,000, plus £160,000 from English Heritage, £30,000 from Europe, and a variety of other grants. The parish raised £60,000 locally.

Canon Rodney Bomford, Vicar of St Giles, said, "The spire has had faults from the first. We are delighted that with much help we have solved a 160-year old problem.

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