AS TESCO reported record £6.38bn losses for the year, retail analysts said the nation’s shoppers were moving away from supermarkets towards independent shops.

That appears to be true in Uffington, near Faringdon, where two women set up their own farmers' market and it proved an immediate hit.

Mum-of-two Lucy Palmer and mum-of-three Claire Whitfield, both in their 40s, decided their village was so isolated they would bring in traders to them.

The market launched in March, and more than 200 people turned up.

Their second effort ran on Sunday, April 19 at the village’s Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall car park and even more people came.

Mrs Palmer, who also runs the hall’s Forget Me Not tearoom, said: “This year and last year we have suffered terribly with roads being flooded and mud.

“We don’t have good business service so unless you are a confident driver you can be quite isolated in the village.

“All the stalls are run by local producers so we help local businesses and provide a service for people in the village.”

Villagers can pick up their weekly groceries like fruit and veg from Milton’s Old Farm Shop, and meat from Challow Hill Farm.

They can also get some more exotic, but still locally-produced goods, such as coffee from Witney’s Varsity Coffee and artisan chocolate made in nearby Shrivenham.

Mrs Palmer said: “The first month it was really busy so we are really pleased. The buzz around the village has been fantastic.

“We have had so many comments from residents on Facebook to say how pleased people are.”

The village does have a small shop, but as Mrs Palmer said it can only offer a limited range of food, very little of it fresh.

Villager Eleanor Banks went along on Sunday and said: “I could support local producers which is much nicer than food coming from further afield.

“When I grew up we didn’t have supermarkets.We used a local baker and butchers, and shopping in supermarkets still feels slightly strange.

“It’s not the same as a hands-on artisan bakery so I hope the market does have a future.”

There are now 10 farmers' markets in Oxford and dozens more across the county.

Parish councillor Evelyne Godfrey said public transport links were a problem from the village, so the market would fill a need.

Dr Godfrey said: “My husband and I made a decision to stop shopping in big supermarkets so we go to the Co-op in Watchfield or in Stanford in the Vale.

“No one wants to have to go to a supermarket in Swindon, but that is what people in villages are doing. I think this is a really good idea, and responding to a genuine need.”