VILLAGERS are fighting to save their beloved community pub.

The Samson Inn in Gilsland closed its doors at the end of October and owners Lauren and Liam Harrison have put the 17th century pub, popular among locals and tourists, up for sale.

The other Gilsland pub, the Bridge Inn, is set to shut in March, meaning the village which straddles the Northumberland and Cumbria border will be left without a watering hole.

Locals are determined to save the Samson and a steering group has been formed with the intention of re-opening the pub as a community venture.

One of the members of the group, Mim Lincoln, said more than 100 villagers attended a public meeting in October to discuss the plans.

"Both pubs are the heart of the community in their own ways," she said.

"When the floods happened in Carlisle, half of the village had no electricity for three days and we all went to the Samson and then when the Beast from the East came [in 2018], it was the same again."

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There has been a steady decline in the services available in the village, with its butchers, post office and sweet shop all closing.

"Thank goodness we have the House of Meg Tea Rooms - that in itself is a lifeline for people to meet and socialise and the pub complemented it really well," said Mim.

She added the Samson will also be a big miss for tourists.

"Gilsland is smack bang on Hadrian's Wall," she said. "The Samson has accommodation too, and a lot of visitors come from all over the world.

"You can go in and have a chat with a friend and then you can chat with someone there from California.

"That's what is so special about it and Gilsland in general."

Following the public meeting, a survey was sent out and respondents were asked questions such as how often they use a pub, what they would like to see in it, and whether they would be interested in buying shares.

The group is currently defining a business plan and looking at funding options to enable them to save the pub.

They are seeking guidance from the Plunkett Foundation, a charity that provides support to help communities establish and run successful community businesses.

A share offering will soon be made open to all, allowing people to become a shareholder in the venture, or people will be able to make a donation to help the group raise the funds needed.

Mim said the pub's owners have been very supportive of the project.

Those interested in helping the 'Save Our Samson' group can visit their Facebook page at SOSamson.