THE owners of an idyllic five-acre garden have declared it a mobile telephone free zone when they open it as an escape from the pace of modern living.

The gardens, at Old Sleningford, close to the village of Mickley, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, will open to raise cash for charity as a quiet garden on July 30 and August 13.

For years, the gardens, owned by former defence minister James Ramsden and his wife, Juliet, have been raising thousands of pounds for charity. But this is the first year the phones have been banned.

A leaflet advertising the fundraising event quotes from St Mark, saying: "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

Mrs Ramsden, whose husband is the former Conservative MP for Harrogate, said: "We don't have mobile phones ourselves - and we don't want one. They always seem to ring at the most inappropriate times.

"So when we were asked to open up as a quiet garden, we decided mobile telephones must not be allowed.

"I'm afraid, if people come with a mobile phone they'll just have to get in the car and go home again."

The grounds of Old Sleningford boast a walled garden, an old mill pond, woodland and sweeping lawns.

Money raised from the two quiet open days will be donated to Holy Rood House, a pastoral care home, at Sowerby, near Thirsk.

On one sweltering day, the ex-Defence Secretary was seen, knotted handkerchief on head, dispensing ice creams to a large queue, using the ledge of the kitchen window as his counter.