BARGAIN-HUNTERS were out in force at a Hartford Methodist Church charity event on Friday to try to bag some goodies and raise funds at the same time.

Items such as furniture, china, porcelain and glassware were up for grabs at the Beach Road 50/50 Grand Auction - where donors and the church took a 50 per cent cut of the profits each - and bidding started at just £150 for a week-long villa break in Lanzarote.

The 7.30pm sale, with auctioneer Pete Ashburner, was organised to raise money for adapting church hall facilities to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 2004. If the centre fails to raise £5,500 for necessary changes, it will inevitably face closure.

Sue Chapman, bookings secretary for the hall, said: "We currently have separate male and female toilets but we plan to make the male one a disabled unit and use the other as unisex. We also need to put in ramps and improve general access at the site."

Sue added: "We are in talks at the moment about trying to get some kind of grant but I'm not sure if we'll receive anything. We hope to start the work in August."