ARCHITECTS, accountants and other professionals are needed to plan a new village hall at Hullavington.

A demolition squad is expected in the next week to pull down the remains of the present hall at Hill Hayes Lane, which was gutted by fire last month.

Chairman of the hall's management committee David Hunt said they wanted to start a group to plan and build a new hall.

He said: "We are trying to form a project board that will be able to do the planning and necessary preparation for the new village hall, hopefully with people with the right skills.

"For example we would like people who have experience overseeing building projects such as surveyors, accountants and anybody in the village with architectural skills.

"Hopefully we will get together a group that will be able to push this project forward."

Mr Hunt said he hoped the new building could be built in stone, although it was likely to cost more than the £200,000 expected from insurance for the old building.

Firefighters blamed the old hall's wooden structure for the speed with which the fire took hold.

The Happy Caterpillar pre-school was left homeless and lost £10,000 of play equipment after the blaze.

Children now use a room in Hullavington Primary School.

Pre-school leader Jebbie Hewitt said: "It is good we are still in the village and the school has been absolutely brilliant. We are very grateful to the school and staff.

"The schoolroom has some advantages. We can leave our toys out without locking them away and we can put pictures on the wall.

"The only thing we are lacking is space but we take the children for walks every day."

Ms Hewitt said the arrangement with the school was only temporary and urged the project group, once formed, to act quickly.

She said: "We know we are able to stay in the hall until the summer term, after that we are going to have to wait and see.

"Hopefully it will not be too long before the village hall is rebuilt."

Anyone who wants to join the project group should phone Bob Fenner (01666) 837320.