PEWS which have been part of the furniture at a North Methodist church since it was built 114 years ago have gone up for sale.

And there seems little doubt that they will soon be bought up.

Old church pews, widely being discarded by places of worship, are now the vogue for country kitchens in old homes, upmarket wine bars and even pubs.

Oatlands Methodist Church, off Leeds Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, has put its pews on the market at £50 each to make way for more comfortable seating.

And with such sturdy wooden pews in demand, the church believes they are a bargain.

The church decided to get rid of its traditional straight-backed "sit up and take notice" pews as part of a more flexible use for its church, where chairs can be cleared for activities and easily replaced for regular worship.

When nearby Oatlands Club, in Hookstone Road, heard about the church refit, they decided to donate 60 chairs free of charge to replace the pews.

Church steward and property secretary Brian Hulme is the first to accept that the old pews were not comfortable for long sits, having endured some of their discomfort.

He thanked the club for the gift, and said: "The new seats have material-covered seats and backs and, apart from their flexibility, will be much more comfortable."

Anyone wanting to buy the pews can call the Reverend Colin Emerson on (01423) 870977.