AN ANNUAL music festival is being organised which will put a Hampshire village on the map and save a historic church.

The Friends of St Peter's Church are putting together the ambitious project and hope thousands of music lovers will flock to Titchfield in June for the week-long event.

All the money raised will go towards the restoration of the village's aging church, which needs hundreds of thousands of pounds for a facelift.

Friends chairman Brian Anderson said the group had high hopes for the festival, which will feature jazz and classical performances, as well as a school orchestra.

"The fabric of the church is in need of repair. St Peter's is one of the oldest churches in Wessex. It is impossible for us to cover that kind of cost when we only have a few thousand pounds.

"This is the first big thing we have organised for the church and it has taken us 18 months to get this far. We want to create an event of note that will get people coming into the village and telling their friends about us."

The history of St Peter's goes back to the year 680 when the first part of the church was built on the site.

Music week organiser John Hiett said: "We are starting small but will grow. All our acts are very different. We believe we have something for everyone."

EVENTS PLANNED FOR TITCHFIELD MUSIC WEEK INCLUDE:

Monday, June 6 - An evening with Fliss Downs, who performs timeless classics from the 1950s to the present day.

Tuesday, June 7 - Mardi Gras Jazz Band at 8pm in the Coach and Horses pub.

Wednesday, June 8 - An Evening with Charles Timberlake and friends, who play the piano, harp and clarinet.

Thursday, June 9 - Titchfield Primary School in Concert.