BAFTA-winning actress Joanna Lumley paid a visit to a Kent church this weekend ahead of its upcoming transformation project.

Millions will be spent upgrading and extending St Mildred's Church in Tenterden, with the Absolutely Fabulous star attending an auction to raise vital funds.

Mrs Lumley, 78, was joined by Bargain Hunt's Tim Wonnacott for the event, held at the High Street venue.

Following the gala, Tenterden mayor, Sue Ferguson, said: "Huge thanks to Joanna Lumley for attending a fundraising evening at St Mildred's Church [and] raising money for the transformation of St Mildred's.

"And to celebrity auctioneer Tim Wonnacott for conducting the auction.

“An absolutely fabulous evening."

Mrs Lumley, who was born in Kashmir, India, studied in nearby Rolvenden from as young as eight.

She attended a boarding school called Mickledene; her parents later bought a house in the area.

In 2009, Mrs Lumley – who also starred in The New Avengers and Wolf of Wall Street – helped Gurkhas who retired before 1997 win the right to settle in the UK.

The Fool Me Once actor was made vice-president of Romney Marsh Historic Churches Trust in July last year.

Meanwhile, the £2.2m St Mildred’s scheme - first put forward back in 2018 - is intended to future-proof the historic 12th century building.

Once complete, it will ensure the nave offers a vast space for concerts, exhibitions and conferences in a bid to draw people in from the wider community.

Mrs Ferguson added: "There's loads happening at the moment at the church - the project has been ongoing for years.

"There is going to be a new stone floor and an extension at the back, so lots of things coming up.

"To get it back into community use would be so wonderful."

Other improvements will see the project deliver new sustainable heating under a new floor, plus upgraded lighting inside and outside the church.

An extension will also be added.

Saturday's auction took fundraising for the project to around £1 million - almost half of its intended target.