Some special church gates donated in memory of a Thorpe St Andrew councillor have been blessed.

The oak entrance gates to the Yarmouth Road church were a gift from the family of the late Brian Fitzmaurice, and on Sunday, August 26 the Rev Canon Barry Oake blessed them before a packed congregation in the churchyard.

The donation was to mark the many years of service Mr Fitzmaurice had given to Thorpe St Andrew.

Mr Fitzmaurice joined the then Thorpe St Andrew Parish Council in 1972 and was a councillor for more than three decades, taking on the role of both chairman and vice chairman.

Mr Fitzmaurice died in 2006 after a battle with cancer and hundreds of people packed into Thorpe St Andrew Parish Church for Mr Fitzmaurice's funeral.

One of Mr Fitzmaurice's main interests was the improvement of recreational and other facilities, and he chaired the recreation and amenities committee.

The Thorpe pavilion was named after Mr Fitzmaurice in recognition of his contribution to the community, and in 2003 he opened a new �60,000 play area off Pound Lane for youngsters. Mr Fitzmaurice had also been a governor of Hillside Avenue School. Pictured at the new entrance gates are the Rev Canon Barry Oake with members of the Fitzmaurice family, town mayor John Ward and town clerk Steven Ford.