A historic Bible donated to the University of Chester more than 70 years ago has been restored by a local bookbinder after years of deterioration.

Dating back to 1935, the text was presented to the then Chester Diocesan Training College in 1955 by former students in memory of fellow alumnus Billy King.

King graduated from the college in 1900 and went on to become a teacher and advocate of community singing. An obituary published in the College's Collegian magazine described his life as being devoted to both the Church and the college

Over time, the Bible suffered significant wear and tear, with its covers becoming detached and damage to its spine.

The university commissioned Chester Bookbinders to carry out the restoration work. The business is run by Phill Woods, who has more than 40 years of experience in the craft.

Mr Woods created a new goatskin leather spine using traditional bookbinding techniques and gold leaf tooling to match the original design. The Bible was also treated to prevent further deterioration.

He said: "As a local craftsman running Chester Bookbinders for 40 years, it was a privilege to undertake this commission."

Following the restoration, the Bible has been sympathetically conserved and is now securely housed within the university's archive.

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Amy Hultum, Alumni Assistant at the University of Chester, said: "We are incredibly grateful to Phill for his skill and dedication in restoring this very special item.

"The Bible is a meaningful part of our history, commemorating an individual who gave so much to the College community."