PARISHIONERS have been invited to a Whitley church to celebrate the launch of the Olympic Games today.

Following on from the success of its Torch relay event and the 5,000-strong Jubilee street party, St Agnes Church will be putting on a big-screen viewing of the London 2012 opening ceremony for local residents.

The Rev Leon Collyer, from South Reading Churches, said: "We have had such a great response from the community so far this summer that we wanted to give people another chance to do something together."

Festivities start early today with a celebration bell-ringing at 8.12am, when the newly-repaired bell of the Northumberland Avenue church will toll to mark the historic day, along with thousands of other churches nationwide.

The screening itself will kick-off at 9pm, where the live ceremony will be projected onto the front of the building.

Doughnuts, crisps and unlimited tea, coffee and squash, will be available for guests and some chairs will be provided - although residents are encouraged to bring their own, along with blankets depending on the weather.