TELEVISION presenter and newspaper columnist Charlie Brooker visited his home village to open its new community shop.

Accompanied by his wife, former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq, the satirist cut the ribbon to Brightwell-cum-Sotwell’s new store.

When Brightwell’s previous shop closed eight years ago, villagers began a campaign to set up a community-run store.

They raised £100,000 of the £225,000 start-up costs themselves, with 212 people making private donations, and got grants from charities, trusts and South Oxfordshire District Council.

The shop, housed in a purpose-built eco-friendly extension to the village hall and staffed by 70 volunteers, started trading in August.

Hundreds of villagers turned up for the official opening on Saturday.

Mr Brooker, who presents Screenwipe on BBC4, said: “When I come back, it's generally for short visits or at Christmas, so I don’t think I’ve seen this many people here since I was at the village fête aged 12.

“People are generally surprised to find out I had any upbringing at all. They think I hatched in some sort of lab.”