THE great outdoors dream of a group of volunteers came to life as hundreds of people packed out the Oxford City Farm festival.

More than 700 farm fanatics filled the event in Cornwallis Road, which marked a first for the organisers who were celebrating a successful summer.

The day-long festival, on Saturday, was a milestone for the group who are steadily creating an impressive community farm close to the hustle and bustle of the city.

Michelle and Ian Phillips, from nearby Churchill Road, went along with three-year-old daughter Freya after hearing about festival.

Mrs Phillips said: "Ian had seen it advertised in Florence Park and we haven't been down here before.

"We love it though, it is a great idea for kids who can come and see the animals.

"You wouldn't think something like this was just outside the centre of Oxford.

"It will interesting to see what they do with it as they continue to build it up."

Youngsters were able to get close to goats and sheep at the petting zoo in the middle of the festival.

There was also a chance to enjoy the pony rides, against a background buzzing with hot food, family apple pressing and bands putting on some crowd-pleasing performances.

Oxford City Farm head of trustees Lucie Mayer said: "We wanted to organise the event to celebrate how far we have come, and say a very big thank you to everyone who has been involved along the way.

"Thank you to the council planners who helped us with the lease, all our volunteers who help on the ground and in the back office and the whole community for embracing the idea."

The group of farming friends this summer launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £12,000 for electricity and water at the site.

More than 200 fundraisers donated more than £13,500 for the cause in August and gave the volunteers the tools to plan its next step for sorting plumbing and electricity for the site.

The plan is to eventually open a farm shop to sell produce from the farm right where it was grown.

Ms Mayer added: "It is absolutely fantastic and it so validating.

"We do spend hours behind computer screens with back office staff working on fundraisers and campaigns and to see so many people inhabit the farm at events like this is just lovely.

"It just shows there is such an appetite for this kind of thing in the city."

Thousands of unwanted bricks from the Westgate Centre, which opens on October 24 following a £440m refurbishment, are being transported to the farm so they can be used in various building projects.