Richard ParrIt's become known as the village that refused to die and over the weekend residents turned out in force to celebrate its success in fighting back to create a thriving community.Richard Parr

It's become known as the village that refused to die and over the weekend residents turned out in force to celebrate its success in fighting back to create a thriving community.

There was a feeling of pride within the community of Great Ryburgh, near Fakenham, as villagers sent out a strong message to other rural communities that they too can fight back from the brink.

Years ago Great Ryburgh was a thriving community with a school, pub, and a shop, but gradually these crucial elements of village life were lost.

The village was faced with the stark choice of accepting the situation or galvanising people and fighting back - which is exactly what it did.

The cudgel was taken up by Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Purdy, who led a vigorous campaign which eventually saw the fortunes of the village turn around.

With support from the Dereham-based Norfolk Rural Community Council, a community interest company was set up and a new location for the shop was gifted by developer Michael McNamara.

About �113,000 was raised for the project and �25,000 of this figure came from more than one hundred residents who took out shares in the company.

Crucial to the success of the project was the re-opening in the village of the post office because it was realised that the shop could only be successful with the post office services running in tandem.

Shop manager and sub-postmistress Joyce Cleveland said: 'We now see around 200 people a day using the shop and, as well as the post office services, we can offer customers free-range eggs, locally-brewed beers using malt from the maltings next to the shop, newspapers, fresh bread and milk and vegetables which come from the local fields.'

Organic vegetables are available at the shop from Salle Organics and there is also an internet caf� inside.

North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb was invited back to the village on Saturday to officially open the Village Affair weekend celebration.

Mr Lamb praised the community for its efforts, saying: 'You have demonstrated a whole community coming together and what can be achieved by that.'

The re-birth of the village led to a committee being formed to fundraise to improve facilities and the Village Affair weekend was one result of this.

Mrs Cleveland said that the main advice she would give to other village communities in decline was to work hard and never give up.

'Because we are community owned and don't have a big money pot it has to be a work of passion more than anything. Try and get as many volunteers on board as always ask questions about what help there is available and never, ever give up,' she added.