BRIDES-to-be can help save a historic church near York.

Supporters of All Saints' Church in Rufforth held a wedding festival last week to start raising money to repair the spire, and asked along reprensentatives of the York Bridal Outlet for a display.

Rae Mould, of Southfield Close, is leading the campaign to save the spire, and organised the festival.

She said: "We need £16,000 to save the spire, maybe up to £19,000. That's the estimate, and the wedding festival we held raised the first £600 at the weekend.

"It was just offered when we were taking the stand down and it's such an amazing offer for girls who are getting married and for our spire and really nice of the Bridal Outlet too. We have to start somewhere to raise the money and we will be putting applications in for grants as well, but this is really one of the first things that is happening."

Alison Huxley from the York Bridal Outlet, said: "I'm from Strensall and I've not really got anything to do with Rufforth but just the fact Mae came into the shop and asked for help meant a lot and without people like Rae in the community nothing gets done and nothing happens, so fair play to her for coming up with an unusual idea and wanting to support her in any way we can.

"I said if anyone was actually getting married if they want to buy a gown we can donate 50 per cent of the proceeds of the gown to the church funds. Since then we have said if anyone's interested it will be any gown in the shop. Gowns cost from £50 to £1,500, so potentially we could be donating £750 to the fund."

The first person to mention the fundraising attempt at the shop and place a deposit on a gown before November 5 will see half of the profits go to the church fund.