A charitable coffee morning has helped officially celebrate the new offices of Lowestoft Town Council.

The new offices, located on the first floor of Hamilton House on Battery Green Road, have been used by the council for around one month since being renovated earlier in the summer.

Since its creation last year the council has not had their own office space, and has had to rely on room bookings at the East Coast Community Healthcare-run building on Battery Green Road and Waveney District Council's offices at Riverside.

Shona Bendix, clerk for the town council, said: 'It's been very difficult to work at the Waveney offices as it wasn't independent and we knew we needed a place of our own.

'We desperately needed meeting rooms so the public could attend our meetings so we could be completely transparent, open and fully engaged with them.'

To celebrate the opening, the council decided to raise funds for Macmillan by selling cakes, coffee and tea.

Ms Bendix said: 'We wanted to combine the public meeting our councillors and seeing our new offices with something that's charitable, so we're delighted to be supporting Macmillan nurses and the wonderful services they deliver.

'It's quite close to the town centre which makes it more accessible to the public. If they have any questions or queries they are free to come and see us.'

The new space includes a large meeting room that can be booked by community groups at a low cost, a clerk's office, a second meeting room, reception area, and a café with a social area looking out towards the North Sea.

Since the town council was established in May 2017, it has been handed a number of assets from the district council including Lowestoft Town Hall, which is in line for a string of repairs.

'We have been given the Town Hall and just secured £42,000 worth of money to help repair it,' added Ms Bendix.

'It will help with the emergency renovations that are needed but its a project that will take years and years. We have no idea what it will be used for at the moment as it is far too big just for us.'

For more information on Lowestoft Town Council visit lowestofttowncouncil.gov.uk.