The Isle of Wight's Newport Minster is receiving funding from the National Lottery for an accessibility project.

The church in St Thomas's Square will share some of a £14 million grant for businesses, buildings and organisations across the UK.

The aim is to help more people from a diverse range of backgrounds connect with the UK’s monuments, the National Lottery Heritage Fund said.

Other projects include creating an alternative to The Marquess of Anglesey’s Column's 115 steps, in Anglesey, north Wales.

An accessible walkway and a tree canopy viewing platform will be built there.

Newport's largest church is thought to have been named around 1175, when a chapel was dedicated to St Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Isle of Wight County Press:

He had been declared a saint in 1173.

The current building was built later.

In 1854, Prince Albert laid a foundation stone dedicated to both Thomas Becket and Thomas the Apostle.

Sts Thomas was dedicated a Minster in 2008.

It has received a number of other grants this year, including £30,000 from the National Churches Trust.

Ros Kerslake, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Heritage has a crucial role to play in contributing to a more equal society, and throughout the pandemic we’ve seen the value that it can bring to people, communities and the economy.

“We believe everyone should be able to benefit from our funding, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, faith, class or income.

“That’s why every project we fund must ensure that the broadest range of people as possible can be involved and we remain committed to this as we build back from the coronavirus crisis”.