MOORLAND villagers are to auction a car to help raise funds for their cash-strapped community hall.

Fadmoor Village Hall was hit when sheep sales were called off last autumn due to foot and mouth disease and bluetongue outbreaks, which restricted the movement of livestock. It meant residents were unable to run their annualfundraising refreshment sales to farmers, said chairman, Hawson Simpson.

"Our income has suffered very significantly because we could not run the refreshments so we are now holing a big auction to compensate."

Now, resident Gerry McMahon has put in his 1991 Blue Fiat 126 BIS car to help boost the proceeds.

It has been in storage for the past seven years, but it is in good condition and has been restored to its former glory thanks to other villagers, Bob Ibbotson, Ken Hornby and Bill Teasdale, while Cropton Garage has done an MOT and the vehicle has been taxed.

The car has been in Mr McMahon's family since 1993 and has just 33,000 miles on the clock he said, adding that it boasts a 704 cc water cooled rear engine and radio and alarm.

The sale is being held at Fadmoor Village Hall in the evening of February 11.