FUNDRAISING is starting in earnest for an ambitious theatrical production in a Cotswold Village.

Blockley residents, including Chris Jury, who played Eric Catchpole in the BBC series Lovejoy, need to raise £12,000 to present a series of medieval mystery plays based on Bible stories.

This Saturday, September 13, volunteers are holding an auction of promises at St George's Hall in Blockley from 7.30pm.

Furniture, computer games and holidays are among the items going under the hammer.

There will also be more than 80 promises on offer - ranging from a half-hour massage to a couple of hoursironing. Several local restaurants have also offered meals.

Actor Chris Jury will be the auctioneer for the evening.

He said: "We have got some fantastic items in this sale.

The holidays are particularly impressive - there are a couple of UK caravan holidays, a cottage in France and a Greek villa holiday - all for sale at knock-down prices.

"It's going to be a lot of fun too, I do a lot of these things and they really are a cheap evening's entertainment as well as being a chance to pick up a bargain."

The auction will be helping to fund the Blockley Millennium Mystery Plays - an ambitious theatrical production planned for June 2004.

The original Blockley Millennium Mystery Plays - based on New Testament stories - were staged by a cast and crew of villagers to mark the turn of the year 2000.

This time Old Testament plays will be performed in Blockley's Churchill Close Park from June 15 to 19 next year.

A festival of village events will accompany the production, culminating with a concert by The Croydon SDA Gospel Choir, which will be followed by the final performance of the mystery plays in the evening.

"This is a very ambitious production and the current budget is well over £12,000," said Mr Jury. "We have already raised more than £5,000 but obviously that is less than half way so we need to keep the momentum going."

Further details can be obtained by writing to Blockley Mystery Plays Ltd, Vine House, High Street, Blockley, GL56 9ET or by visiting www.mysteryplays.org.