One of Anglesey's most
unusual churches, designed by a former Italian prisoner of war to look
like a ship, reopened on Sunday.
Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Winefride's, the Catholic
Church for Amlwch, has been closed since 2004 because of increasing damp
problems.
Restoration project co-ordinator Chris Thomas said it had been a 'long and difficult journey'.
But he said the people of Amlwch had been positive about the outcome.
The Grade II building was designed by Italian engineer,
Giuseppe Rinvolucri, who married a local girl after coming to Britain as
a prisoner of war during World War I.
'Fitting testament'
Mr Thomas said the work had to be phased "because of financial
contstraints, but the church itself will now be fit for its primary
role as a place of worship".
Further work is planned to bring more of the building into use, complete car parking and grounds.
"It is our hope that the work will be a fitting testament to
Guiseppe Rinvolucri who was inspired the design the church in the
1930's," he said.
"Our project was, and still is, all about the four R's, the
rescue, repair, restoration and rehabilitation of a unique building," he
added.
Mr Thomas said the people of the parish are "custodians of
this much loved building", and have done all that they can to protect
and care for it.
"Our Lady Star of the Sea is a 20th Century building created
for this place, making reference as it does to the heritage of Amlwch,
its shipping past and position on the very edge of the Irish Sea," he
added.