VILLAGERS are anticipating an ex-straw-dinary weekend as Orton church hosts not one but two weddings - the first for a local couple and the second for two smartly-dressed scarecrows.

Real-life bride and groom-to-be Leigh-Ann Potter and Scott Newburn, who run a B&B in Shap, are to marry this Saturday at noon, at All Saints Parish Church.

Once they have been wed by the Rev Alun Hurd and departed for a marquee reception at Raisgill Hall Farm, the organisers of Orton's annual scarecrow festival and church exhibition will step in to fill the pews with dozens of life-sized, straw-stuffed figures for the scarecrow nuptials.

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"A group of local ladies has been working on the project since well before Christmas," villager Chris Bland told the Gazette. "They have produced more than 70 scarecrows which include bride, groom, vicar, choir and wedding guests."

As he explained, exhibits are usually brought into All Saints Church prior to the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, ready for the exhibition to open on the Saturday.

However, with Leigh-Ann and Scott's wedding date pre-booked, they had a change of plan and decided instead to stage a scarecrow ceremony later that day.

"It's made it a little bit more exciting," said Leigh-Ann, 28, who grew up in Orton and whose parents Audrey Simpson and David Potter live in the village.

"We booked the wedding quite a while ago, last March, after getting engaged in Sri Lanka. I think the problem was they were in between vicars and the lady standing in must have not had the exhibition date in her diary."

However, the Shap yoga teacher and wedding planner said everything had worked out fine, and she and Scott had moved their ceremony back to 12pm to give the organisers more time to arrange the scarecrows. The white flowers, greenery and birch trees Leigh-Ann has chosen to bedeck the church will also stay in situ for the festival.

"I'm just really looking forward to having a good day," added the excited bride-to-be.

All Saints Church is expected to open to visitors from 3pm to 6pm this Saturday. Visitors arriving in Orton earlier will be able to view the many other scarecrows dotted around the picturesque Eden village, as part of the 15th scarecrow festival.

On Sunday the church will be open 1pm-5pm, and on Monday and Tuesday 10am-5pm, with the display on view until the following weekend.

Morning coffee and home-made cream teas will be served in church, and entrance is by donation.