Sutton-on-the-Forest pub Rose and Crown saved

A village pub is to reopen after residents raised £30,000 to secure its future.

The Rose and Crown in Sutton-on-the-Forest, near York, has been closed since October, when the previous landlord ceased trading.

But it is to reopen at 17:00 GMT after campaigners raised funds via a community share offer.

David Brown, who started the campaign, said: "When it closed it seemed the life had been taken from the village."

He added: "It's been a thriving pub at various times.

"If it wasn't there, we wouldn't really know who was in the village or know our neighbours."

Between 50 and 60 people bought £500 shares in the pub following a decision to start fundraising on 4 November.

The pub's new landlady, Collette Willets, said: "I've got such an affinity to the Rose and Crown, it'd be such a crying shame for it to be boarded up.

"I worked here previously and we just love the place.

"It can't fail because everybody's put so much support behind me.

"Hopefully we're going to make it fantastic and we just look forward to our future here. We're here to stay."

The Rose and Crown is the only pub left in the village following the closure of the Blackwell Ox two years ago.