Victorian folly stands in as a trap site for charity clay pigeon shoot

Four traps will fire clays from the roof of a Victorian folly on a North Yorkshire country estate as part of a charity event next month to raise cash for two children's charities.

The historic building, which dates back to 1830, is being used for the shoot on the 1,500-acre Azerley Estate, near Ripon.

The event aims to raise thousands of pounds for the Leeds-based Sick Children's Trust and the Child Development Centre at Harrogate District Hospital.

The inspiration for the charity shoot is two-year-old Molly Birch, who attends the Child Development Centre for weekly sessions after complications when she was born.

Her father, Kevin Birch, has organised the charity clay shoot for the last two years and almost 10,000 has been raised since the event was first held in 2008.

Mr Birch, 37, who is the gamekeeper on the Azerley Estate, lives in the Victorian folly with his wife, Emma, and their young daughter. "We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful venue for the charity shoot, and we are hoping to raise a significant amount for charity.

This year's event is from 10am on Sunday, April 18, and costs 120 for each team of four to enter, with a first prize of 200.