A RARE bottle of wine to be offered for sale in Chagford this weekend has sparked a ripple of charity donations — and looks set to give a healthy boost to church funds in the town.

The bottle of Chateau Latour 1991 is due to be auctioned at the Jubilee Hall in Chagford this Saturday.

Worth at least £200, the donation has now been followed by other excellent wines, guaranteed to create keen interest amongst wine lovers eager to bag a bargain.

Chagford resident Richard Davies, who donated the bottle of Premier Grand Cru Classé Chateau Latour, said: 'We've been trying to think of new ways of raising money for the church. I've given them money in the past but I felt I wanted to do something a bit different.

'The good thing is that it's opened up a whole new opportunity for people to give.

'I lost my mother on Christmas Day — she did a lot for the church and I think she would like it that I was trying to help.'

Richard said this particular wine was 'rather special'.

He said: 'It's been stored by a very respectable shipper until last summer when it came to me. It's been kept in superb condition — it's even got the original Chateau Latour tissue paper around it still.

'It's got a marvellous pedigree — this stuff would be selling in Gordon Ramsay's restaurant in London for about £700 to £800 a bottle — you wouldn't get it from one of the top merchants for less than £200 and you'd have to buy at least six bottles.'

Richard, who is also involved in organising a raffle for the church being held at the Chagford Tinners' Fair on Saturday May 1, said he hoped the bottle would realise between £150 and £200.

'The church is desperate to raise money for the organ appeal, which stands at £75,000.

'I know several people in Chagford who like wine have started bidding for it already — it's a good opportunity, if you have a special event coming up,' said Richard.

Auctioneer John Colpoys Wood, who is running the sale on Saturday, said the organ at St Michael The Archangel was in great need of work.

He said: 'There are parts of this organ that have not been touched for the 150 years it has been in situ. It will be having a complete overhaul and rebuild which is costing tens of thousands of pounds.'

The other bottles of wine which are being offered for sale for church funds are a Calera Mt Harlan Pinot Noir 1998; a Reed Vineyard Lang and Reed Cabernet Franc 1998 and a Nappa Valley Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvingnon 1999.

These bottles have been kindly donated by Paul Henderson, the former owner of Gidleigh Park Hotel.

The sale of the wines are due to take place at 1pm.