Volunteers who run a shop and library have be commended at an awards ceremony for their commitment to community life.

Village residents who help to keep the Trawden Forest Library and Community Shop running, were recognised at the 2021 Countryside Alliance Awards for being rural heroes, after submitting a bid to the organisation's annual competition.

Nicknamed the ‘Rural Oscars’, the awards support and promote rural communities and celebrate people going the extra mile to ensure that rural Britain’s food and farming industry, small businesses, traditional skills, forward-thinking enterprises and their communities can flourish.

Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson praised the Trawden Forest Library and Community Shop, after they were highly commended in the Village Shop/Post Office category.

Mr Stephenson said: “I am delighted at this well-deserved recognition for the Trawden Forest and Community Shop.

"To be nominated and get through to being a finalist is testament to their incredible contribution supporting the community during such a difficult period.

“This news, along with the recent successful fundraising effort to purchase the Trawden Arms, shows how strong Trawden’s local community spirit is.”

The Awards are the Countryside Alliance’s annual celebration of British food and farming, enterprise and heritage through small hard-working businesses.

Molly Ralphson, who was instrumental in the community's efforts to buy-up the Trawden Arms pub, said: "It feels wonderful living in Trawden right now, being part of such a close-knit, supportive group of people.

"It's inspiring to see how many local residents give up their time to keep our shop, library and community centre serving the local population.

"These services are convenient to many but a life-line to some.

"And now we have saved our village pub too - it's the icing on the cake - and we are already looking forward to getting together to celebrate properly once the purchase is finalised and restrictions allow.

"The people of Trawden should be feeling rightly proud of themselves and their village just now, I know I certainly do."

The 2021 Awards, delayed from 2020 due to Covid, saw more than 18,000 nominations across five different categories.

Winners of the Village Shop/Post Office category were Slaidburn Central Stores and Post Office.