A west Oxfordshire campaign to help clear minefields, launched two months ago, has ended the year with more than £3,500 in the kitty.

Campaign organiser Malcolm Harper said the group was now well on the way to reaching the appeal target of £10,000.

The west Oxfordshire drive is part of a nationwide appeal, the United Nations Association's Adopt-a-Minefield campaign, and is supported by the actor Ben Kingsley, from Spelsbury, who was knighted in the New Year's honours list.

All money raised in west Oxfordshire will go towards landmine clearance in Mozambique, in southern Africa.

Mr Harper, who lives at Charlbury, is the UK director of the United Nations Association.

He said: "The appeal is going well and we are arranging more events and publicity."

The UN's campaign is focused on six countries, Bosnia, Croatia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Mozambique and Afghanistan.

The west Oxfordshire branch of UNA chose Mozambique because it is one of the poorest countries in the UN's list. There are still millions of unexploded mines left by rebel and government troops.

Money raised so far has come from private donations, a wine-and-cheese evening in Charlbury, a non-uniform day at Chipping Norton School, and dinner parties organised by members of the Bah'ai faith.

Former Witney MP Shaun Woodward and his wife Camilla also helped raise funds by opening up their home, at Sarsden Manor, for an evening of carols and mulled wine.