VILLAGERS are hoping they have the recipe to create a top new play area for their community.

Residents in Blackthorn, near Bicester, have set a £150,000 target to create a community park and sports area to cater for the whole village.

And to get the ball rolling Sandie Stevenson, of the Blackthorn Recreational Park Committee, came up with the idea of a cookery book.

In just seven months she gathered about 180 recipes.

Villagers have donated dishes that have been in their families for generations and local restaurants – including the Michelin-starred Nut Tree in Murcott – contributed recipes for full three-course meals.

Among the dishes are fish cakes from St Helena, in the South Atlantic, and a chicken curry that helped resident Judith Wood win her husband’s heart.

Local MP Tony Baldry passed on tips to make perfect chocolate brownies, and celebrity chef Rick Stein donated a recipe for fish with mussels.

Mrs Stevenson, 60, said an American friend had sent her a recipe book compiled to raise money in memory of troops who had died in Iraq.

She said: “I wondered if I could pull something like that together.

“I did an article in the parish magazine, made leaflets and pushed them through letterboxes and knocked on doors.

“Much to my surprise my silver tongue worked and we got 50 sponsors, enough to cover the cost of printing.

“It has been amazing how people have pulled together — we have people in the village with editing expertise, proof readers and people who were good with a camera.

“We’ve been thrilled to have so many contributors to the book, which includes Indian, Turkish, Italian and English recipes.”

The first phase of work to create a community park will be to refurbish the ageing children’s playground, at a cost of about £50,000.

Future plans include a shelter for teenagers and a multi-use sports facility with a tennis court, basketball ground and small football pitch.

The cookery book costs £8.99, and will be available next month from Coles Bookstore in Crown Walk, Bicester, and the town’s main Tesco in Pingle Drive.

It can also be ordered direct from Mrs Stevenson by emailing aastevenson@willowpond.co.uk