A COMMUNITY group which raised £180,000 to buy a village pub hopes to exchange contracts by the end of the month.

The Dog Inn Belthorn Ltd, a mutual society set up to save The Dog Inn, in Belthorn, raised the money inside two months through a share issue.

Secretary Kathryn Sharpe said the committee were hoping to recruit a manager for the Belthorn Road venue in the next few weeks.

She said: "We are busy waiting for exchange of contracts and we are hoping that this will take place next week.

"We have divided ourselves into separate groups of volunteers to manage different areas of the setting up of the pub to get it ready for opening.

"These include a shop, allotments, marketing, sales, building repairs, tea room and allotments. We are still looking for further volunteers who may be able to assist with sandblasting, building materials, furnishings, shelving, carpets, and any sort of skilled and unskilled labour."

The group also hopes to publish a quarterly newsletter, The Dog's Life, to update residents and shareholders.