THERE'S nothing 'scary' about going to St James' Church in Haslingden -- unless you're a crow that is!

The exhibition gallery is packed with the quietest, most disciplined congregation ever to attend church. And Father Roger Smith might be forgiven for thinking he is seeing double, because a character in the gallery bears more than a passing resemblance to himself.

The Scarecrow Harvest was Father Roger's idea to bring a bit of fun into church, help raise money for the Bishop of Blackburn's appeal and show off the fantastic new exhibition gallery the church has to offer.

Father Roger admitted he pinched the idea after a visit to the Dales village of Kettlewell where a scarecrow festival was being held.

But he had not banked on the idea being so popular with his congregation.

He said: "I didn't expect this kind of response, I thought probably ten or 12 dotted round church, but now it looks like we will have more than 50 with many pictures of scarecrows drawn and painted by the children of St James.

"The church will be open for people to view the scarecrows all weekend and we will keep them up for the week because people have put so much time and effort into producing them. It is only right to let people see them."

Father Roger has made his 'altar' ego complete with cardboard face, carrot nose and very familiar glasses.

Church cleaner Adrienne Taylor has made her likeness and used the top of a washing up liquid bottle for her nose.

There is a verger, made by verger Alec Taylor, church warden Donald Valentine sacrificed his 'best' gardening clothes to come up with his model which he has called the chairman of the scarecrow's trade union and carries the sign 'private land -- crows not admitted.'

Even the Lancashire Evening Telegraph got in on the act, with a volunteer creating a totally recycled newspaper reporter -- Tony Telegraph!

Stonefold School, Tor View and Haslingden Primary all got involved along with all church organisations and many local groups such as Haslingden Roots and the Soroptimists.

St James' teacher Paul Holden said: "We have made three large scarecrows and around 150 dancing scarecrows, pictures, collages and fields of scarecrows.

"The first thing we had to do was get out books and pictures to tell the children what a scarecrow was because you do not see them in the fields any more.

"They have absolutely loved it and have spent most of the week making the scarecrows."

The pupils were in church today for their traditional harvest festival where they brought in food which will be distributed to needy people in the town.

Father Roger added: "The idea has also been good for local business because the ironmonger has had a rush of people buying wood and string to make their scarecrows!"