ONE man from Horrabridge has created one of the UK’s only radio stations situated in a pub, writes Lindsay Turpin.

Paul Hillier moved to the village in December last year and became submersed in community life — and quickly set up the non-profit community radio show, Radio Walkham, from the London Inn.

Paul had relocated to the area from Wales as part of the management team for SCS furniture store, and it was in Wales that he got the ‘radio bug’ on a community station called Radio Tircoed.

Paul said: ‘This is my way of giving something back — I moved to Horrabridge in December last year and this community is absolutely fabulous— you will have to kick me out kicking and screaming.’

The radio show went on air for the first time on Monday, October 2 and in the first week he had around 4,000 listeners. Broadcast online at www.radiowalkham.net the radio station reaches listeners all over the country — even as far away as Cyprus and Australia.

‘I am overwhelmed by the response,’ said Paul. ‘This has all been done at my own expense and Mike at the London Inn has kindly offered the building.

‘At Radio Walkham we talk about anything and everything and we provide a voice in the local community.’

Mike Huda, proprietor of the London Inn, said: ‘We are a community pub and we like to be involved as much as we can.

‘We have given Paul a comfortable double size room with en-suite where he can hold the radio station, we have also provided the wifi and electricity.

‘This is not a money making radio station this is a radio station for the community.’

Paul added: ‘I now want to encourage all the community, young and old, to be involved in the radio.’

To contact Paul, email radiowalkham@gmail. com