Residents in an Oxfordshire village have their own village centre for the first time in 50 years.

Elsfield, near Oxford, which is home to about 100 people, is a conservation area within the green gelt which has no shop, post office or pub, or any other place where people could meet except the church.

After a public meeting almost 10 years ago, it was agreed an area should be set aside at the church.

On May 10, Hugo Brunner, the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, formally opened the Elsfield village room, which has taken almost a year to build, although fundraising will continue to provide an external access.

Money was raised from the proceeds of an annual plant sale in the village, and from grants from South Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council, the Oxfordshire Preservation Trust and the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust.