VILLAGERS have formed a protection group and hope to raise thousands of pounds every year to help save their parish church.

Residents of Sutton-on-the-Forest, near Easingwold, have launched a Friends of All Hallows' society in order to raise sufficient funds for the maintenance and repair of the church.

"We want to try and raise about £5,000 each year to keep the church going. That is our aim," said friends' trustee Peter Braithwaite.

The group's first fundraising effort was a concert, called Magical Midsummer Music, which was held at the church yesterday.