A WEEKLY village market in West Devon which involves 60 volunteers has been nominated for an award which celebrates rural communities and enterprise.

The Countryside Alliance Awards, nicknamed the 'Rural Oscars', are now in their sixth year and the regional winners of the eight categories will be announced in January 2011.

Walkhampton Village Market was started up two and a half years ago with the aim of getting the community together.?Every Saturday morning from 10am to noon, between 60 and 100 people turn up.

Chairman of the village hall Peter Shapcott said: ' We lost our post office, which used to be a place where people would meet, and decided to provide somewhere for people to chat and have coffee, tea and cake.

'We have local businesses offering things like bread, meat, veg and honey and volunteers run the coffee shop.

'I did not have that much faith when we started but here I am two and a half years later still putting out tables.'

The project was nominated by Sue Martin, of Pizwell Farm, Postbridge, who was a regional winner in the local food category last year and is a regular visitor to the market.

Categories include traditional skills, rural enterprise, village shop/post office and business.