Community-spirited villagers have been granted thousands of pounds to build a new village shop in a portable cabin.

Gosfield Foundation Community Interest Company, which was founded by parish clerk Jo Beavis in January and includes local trustees, has this week been promised £6,000 in funding by the Essex Community Foundation.

Combined with the £32,00 which has already been raised by villagers, the company is well on its way to raising the £45,000 needed to build the shop.

The previous shop, G and S News in Church Road, which was run by Graham and Sheila Allen for more than three decades, shut in January after numerous attempts to sell the shop failed.

It is hoped that the shop, which will be run by volunteers and could be open by November if the planning application is granted, will sell newspapers, sweets, dry goods, sandwiches and will include a suggestion box.