The first church to be consecrated after the disestablishment of the Church in Wales in 1920 is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

St Martin of Tours in Llay, near Wrexham, opened in 1925 as the village was being developed. It was built to serve miners at the new Llay Main Colliery and their families, and was described in a newspaper report at the time as being “cheering evidence of the courage and vitality of the Church in Wales”.

The Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, will lead a special service on celebration on Sunday 23 February. He said: “I always enjoy celebrating the milestone birthdays of our churches. It represents a huge chapter in the devotion of many ordinary men and women who are creating a holy place to which all are welcome.”

Children from the local primary school will lead the prayers during the service, which starts at 11am.