These volunteers were doing their bit to improve the environment – and received some welcome support.
A village pond at Kidlington needed restoration and British Telecom came to the rescue with a cheque for £1,030.
Thornbury Pond, off The Moors, was one of several freshwater ponds which served the original village settlement.
Sadly, it had become neglected and full of rubbish, but this group of villagers were determined to bring it back to life.
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Among the items pulled from the pond when the clear-up started in 1990 were bits of old cars and an old oil drum.
Christine Sims, chairman of Kidlington Environment Group, said the number of small, open freshwater habitats in the village had fallen dramatically in recent years.
Many of the habitats had been lost when new homes were built.
She said: “There were at least two other small ponds near Thornbury Pond, which have been lost.
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“An area of open water, if left unmanaged, will vanish unless human influence is brought to bear.
“It is important we recreate the original habitat for many highly specialised plant and animal species, such as the Great Crested Newt.
“Our aims are to create a multi-purpose pond area which will conserve several eco-systems, be educational and preserve our heritage.”
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The British Telecom cheque was presented to a delighted Mrs Sims and other members of the group by customer services manager Derrick Greensweig.
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