A £95,000 lottery grant is enabling a post office and village shop run by volunteers to move into brand new premises before Christmas.

The community benefit society behind the facility currently operating out of a bungalow in Saxon Close, Oake, now hopes to start work on an extension to the village hall within the next month.

The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund cash means the society is looking for just another £4,500 to reach the £145,000 target to finance the move.

Society chairman Alex Antill said: “We’re delighted. We’ve been struggling to raise the funds for about 18 months and to finally get within striking distance of starting the building is very exciting.

“We would hope to start building within the next month and moving in by Christmas is a realistic target at the moment.

“The new building will be about 50 per cent bigger than the existing shop. That will give us considerable scope to expand the business and increase the products we sell.”

He added: “It’s really good news that the lottery grant has been confirmed. We’re so excited that we’ll be on the side of the village hall - it’s a community hub, with a lot going on there.”