Oldest and youngest villagers celebrate shop's birthday

The oldest and youngest members of a village gathered to celebrate a special anniversary of their 'lifeline' shop.

The community store in Crowcombe near Somerset's Quantock Hills was launched in 2001 after the village lost its shop and Post Office within months of each other.

Volunteers marked the shop's 25th birthday on Thursday with a cake cutting ceremony with the oldest and youngest villagers, who share an 80-year age gap.

Phil Barker, the store's treasurer, described the store as a lifeline and said any surplus money goes back into the village, adding: "We helped restore the church organ, fund a bus for the primary school. The village supports us and we support them."

The store is open six days a week and allows people to access everyday supplies on their doorstep.

Barker said without it, people would have to travel six miles (9.6km) away and there are no frequent bus services.

He added without the shop's volunteers, it would not have lasted 25 years.

Ian Talbot has volunteered at the shop since it started in 2001 and played a key role in helping the store to open.

"A lot of what I did was practical work. I dug a trench in order to get electricity supply.

"It's become a key part of the village," he said.

Julia Denton, chairperson at the shop, said it is the heart of the community.

"We didn't know how many cakes to bake, this has exceeded how many people we thought would be here," Denton added.

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