Villagers and friends are having to dig deep to raise about £50,000 for a new extension at Baydon village school.

The original Victorian building at St Nicholas School was given a flat roofed extension in the 1960s that was out of keeping with local design.

It also placed the administrative office upstairs which is inconvenient.

Now the school is planning a replacement extension to provide an extra classroom and ground floor offices built in the traditional brick and flint style of the area with a pitched roof.

Headteacher Peter Chambers said: “Having the offices on the ground floor will make them much more accessible to parents and visitors.”

He said the extension plans are with the council but it is hoped the project will get planning permission so that building can start next February and be completed later in the year.

The overall cost of the new building will be from £500,000 to £600,000, with the school and village having to find about £50,000.

St Nicholas pupils are planning fundraising activities which include fete from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday which is jointly in aid of the school and church.

There has already been a car washing session sponsored by Gary Winter of Clean2Gleam in Hungerford which raised £668 to start the ball rolling.

Future events include a barn dance on July 3 at Baydon House Farm with a grand auction which has some impressive lots, said governor Bryan Harber who is leading the appeal.

Mr Harber said raising £50,000 was a huge sum.

“We have a school of just 110 pupils in a village of only 550 people,” he added.