CROSTHWAITE Garden Ramble is this weekend with 14 gardens open.

Running on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday (May 25/26), from 10.30am-4.30pm, the event is an important fundraiser for St Mary's Church at Crosthwaite, which is embarking on a £70,000 building refurbishment aimed at updating the facilities in the church.

A free mini bus service will take visitors to the furthest gardens then return them back to the village hall for homemade refreshments.

Tickets are available from the village hall.

All proceeds from will go towards an extension to the church, which will house new toilets, including a disabled access toilet and a new vestry. The refurbishment will also include upgrading the existing vestry, which currently doubles as a kitchen area, to make it easier for refreshments to be served at church services and other events.

So far £16,000 has been raised.

"The garden ramble is our biggest fundraiser to date," explained Lorraine Brierley, chairman of fundraising at St Mary's Church. "We look forward to welcoming people from South Lakeland and beyond to what we hope will be a spectacular event set in the most beautiful surroundings."