OO-ARR me hearties! It wasn’t your average church fete.

A Southampton church held the first of its twice-yearly fundraisers – and managed to dodge the rain.

Neighbours, parishioners and church-goers donned their finest eye patches, cutlasses and wooden legs for the pirate-themed day of treasure hunts, activities and stalls at St Mary’s Church, South Stoneham.

And there was more than one Captain Jack Sparrow in attendance to make sure everyone was having fun.

Guests at the family day could also have a look round the 11th century church – which will soon launch a major fundraising drive to get the cash for a new roof with money from the pirate event going towards the weekly ‘builders and trekkers’ young people’s sessions, and outreach work in the neighbourhood.

Vicar’s wife Sarah Dockree said: “It’s been great. People have come who don’t come to church, which is what we wanted. We decided on a pirate theme because we wanted it to be open to everyone. We wanted to change the face of the church fete. And we just wanted to give people who live nearby something fun to do on a Saturday afternoon.”