A church's £30,000 appeal to save its spire will tee off with the transformation of a Wharfedale village into a golf course.

Burley-in-Wharfedale people are being invited to play a fun round of ‘urban golf’ around the village in a drive to raise thousands of pounds for essential repairs to landmark spire of St Mary’s Parish Church.

The urban golf match on Sunday, August 29, will be the first major fundraising effort of the church’s appeal, and prizes will be on offer.

Competitors who fancy turning up dressed in loud plus fours or more eye-catching dress will be in with a chance of taking the title for Most Outrageous Golfing Attire.

The Rev Ernest Lennon, curate at St Mary’s said: “This is a fun event. We’re using squash balls instead of golf balls and the idea is still to reach the hole in as few strokes as possible. But we want people to have fun and we’ve found that the worse you play the more fun you have.”

Each of the holes around Burley has been sponsored by a local business, and there will be a ‘19th hole’ at the Red Lion pub at 4pm, when the prizes will be awarded.

Mr Lennon said the event is being used to launch the church’s fundraising appeal.

“We want to keep our spire,” he said.

“It’s part of Burley’s history and part of its landscape. It’s a well-known landmark and we can’t imagine the village without it.”

Other fundraising events planned include a rugby-themed wine-tasting in October and a Bollywood evening in November.

Anyone who would like to put their golfing skills to the test can turn up at Burley Grange, Main Street, between 11.30am and 3.30pm on August 29.

A round of golf costs £4 for adults, £2 for children, or a family ticket is £10, while under fives go free. Equipment is provided.