AN exhibition about the history of Coxhoe proved a popular draw for villagers.

The event, at St Andrew's Methodist Church Hall, Front Street, featured local author and historian Robin Walton who has spent several years looking into the heritage of Coxhoe and Cornforth.

He has found the route of a Roman road and a clay pipe kiln that operated in the village until 1865.

The one-day event was staged to raise money for the church's rebuilding fund.

The old church has been demolished because maintenance costs were rising and the building was no longer considered suitable for 21st Century needs.

Worshippers now meet in the church hall and hope that work on the shell of the new building will start in the near future.

Church steward Jack Gilmore said: "The exhibition attracted between 130 and 150 people.

"More important than the numbers that attended was the fact that the visitors appreciated it. We had people thanking us for the trouble that had been taken.''

Mr Gilmore added that between £130 and £150 had been raised for the appeal, which originally had a target of £100,000.