|TOP|Members of St Peter’s Church in Oundle are hoping to enter the Guinness Book of Records when they hold a giant Bibleathon next month.

Hundreds of St Peter’s parishioners will leaf through 1,280 pages of the NIV Old Testament and New Testament, containing more than 750,000 words, in the non-stop read expected to last around 74 hours.

Parish administrator Steve Cunningham said: "The Bible is the world's best seller, but often the most dusty book in the house. It shouldn't be like that and it should be something that is actively used.

"This is about taking the Bible to people rather than expecting them to pick up something that's not easy to read. It is breaking down the barriers and if we can break some records along the way then that's great."

|QUOTE|The efforts are an attempt to raise much needed funds to modernise the church’s ageing lighting system, currently in need of £400,000 of repairs, reports Peterborough Today.

If all goes well, the readathon could see the St Peter’s Church members enter the Guinness Book of Records.

The readers will kick off their record-breaking attempt on the morning of Saturday 21st September when the Bishop of Peterborough, the Rt Rev Ian Cundy, takes the first read.

|AD|The reading, in groups of five or six readers each rotating on 20-minute slots, will continue throughout the night and is expected to end on Sunday 24th September with the reading of Revelation.

Organiser Dr Rob Gwynne said: "There are only a few rules but the most important is that the Bible must be read from beginning to end without stopping.

"To achieve this will obviously require quite detailed planning and organisation and we are hopeful local folk will help in whichever way they can."

Vicar at St Peter's, the Rev Canon Richard Ormston said: "The most important thing about all this is to see scriptures being read aloud and enjoyed.

"If money can raised for good causes in the process, then that is a bonus."

The money raised, expected to be in the thousands, will be spent on updating the church’s lighting system, while the rest will be allotted to a church-based charity.