BLUNSDON'S new village shop has been officially opened by a 10-year-old schoolgirl.

Local people gathered in the village hall's car park to watch Mamika Mori unveil the shop sign and hear her give a short speech.

Mamika had won a competition held at Blunsdon Primary School to design a sign for the shop, and her painting forms the background to the finished shop sign.

She said: "This is the biggest competition I have ever won and I am really happy.

"I hope the shop is a big success."

What was Blunsdon's only shop closed down last April, but villagers had a meeting about the problem in July and have been working ever since toward creating a new store for the community.

Volunteers and the village shop committee have been renovating the portable building which houses the new shop since January.

Shop committee chairman Malcolm Ward said: "The cabin that arrived in January was just a shell. We have been amazed by how much has been done in that short time."

The shop has planning permission for two years of opening, and the aim is to eventually find it a permanent home.

Any profits will go into supporting village ventures, and volunteers are needed to work there.