A mental health charity has opened its first book and music store in the country in Oxford -- and is appealing to bookworms to donate volumes for its shelves.

The Mind book store opened on Saturday (August 21), in the charity's former bric-a-brac and clothes store at 125 Walton Street.

The charity will re-open the clothing shop in mid-September up the road at 118 Walton Street.

Sharon Tweedy, who will manage both shops, said the charity would open other bookshops if the Oxford branch proved a success.

She said: "We have always sold books, but now we have turned the shop into a complete bookshop we going to need many more.

"We have always wanted to try this and because we are the busiest shop in the region we're the guinea pig."

Mrs Tweedy, who has managed the Oxford store for two-and-a-half years, added: "Oxford is a real bookworm's place and people here do love books. We sell everything from battered paperbacks and romances to textbooks and books on politics, economics, law and poetry to students.

"We can even pick up books if anyone has difficulty dropping them off, within a reasonable distance."

Mind is following in the footsteps of Oxfam, whose St Giles bookshop is among the chain's most profitable in the UK.

Oxfam already has 60 dedicated bookstores and will increase this number by up to 15 over the coming year.

Mind regional organiser Christine Broom said the charity had not planned on having two shops in the same street, until the other building became available.

She said: "It was like somebody up above granted us a wish."

Mrs Tweedy, said the clothing and bric-a-brac store had become a popular destination for bargain hunters.

She said: "We have had some very unusual donations, including African masks and fertility symbols, designed to help people produce children -- some look quite explicit!

"Most of the stuff comes bagged and we get some good surprises when we open them. Among the more unusual items we have sold was a blow-up doll -- complete with underwear -- which we sold to a group of girls for a student party. But we have also sold a chest of drawers for £270."

For more information call 01865 510668.