A local Devon radio station run by volunteers is looking to extend the listener base in their community.

Radio Walkham started broadcasting to the airwaves around Horrabridge back in 2017.

Now, nearly ten years later it is still going strong after the name change to Radio Horrabridge, but needs more listeners to tune in.

Nine presenters from around the local area including Dousland, Horrabridge, Yelverton and as far away as Gloucester take to the mic each week offering a variety of different music genres.

The radio station’s base has remained the same across the years with a studio upstairs at the local London Inn, happily accommodated by landlord Mike Huda who continues to support the amateur radio project.

Alison Cooper signed up as a presenter last year after coming across the station quite by chance.

Alison has only lived locally for just over a year and a half, and said: “I didn't know it existed at first. I just heard it, somebody said that they used to have a show and that they thought they were looking for more presenters.

"And I thought, oh, I've always wanted to do that! I was scared to death but thought I’m going have a go at it. So when the other presenters showed me how to do it, then I started.”

Alison took to the airwaves for the first time in October last year and admits she absolutely loves it.

“I like the fact that I can go into people’s homes; I like being able to offer them something friendly and entertaining,” she said.

“I’ve coped with social anxiety before in my life, so I know what that’s like, and I know there’s people around that don’t go out very much. So that’s what I’m hoping to be, a friendly reassuring voice.

“Sometimes it’s mental health, sometimes, it’s physical health; I just want to encourage people with a bit of humour, good music, and a bit of daft chatter!

"I do a ‘Pause for Thought’ every week; a couple of minutes just to talk about something serious and then play a funny song.”

Alison admits quite happily that the preparation for the show takes her rather a long time. “I’m an over-preparer, so it takes me a few hours and I write it all out and then I review it and redo it again.”

Listener numbers are stubbornly low, and she’s hoping for more locals to follow her show regularly, especially since so many still don’t realise there’s a local station in the village. “Each of us have a variety of people that listen to our shows. We getting more but not very many so that’s the main thing,” she added.

Of the nine presenters that share the radio station each has their own taste in music. Keith prefers 60s, 70s and 80s music, Peter is the master of easy listening, while Alison plays Reggae, Country and some Punk. That’s her era she says, laughing: “I’m all over the place really!”

Listeners can tune in via the Radio Horrabridge website at: www.radiohorrabridge.co.uk.