Campaigners determined to reopen Wantage's Regent Cinema have launched their own plan to get it back in action.

Following a public meeting attended by more than 400 people last week, a 'Friends of Wantage Cinema' group has stepped forward to try to revive the popular cinema in Newbury Street.

The Regent closed its doors more than two months ago after operators Paul and Sue Kirwin decided to give up the lease on the premises, which are owned by Suffolk Life Pensions. The two-screen cinema had been losing customers over the past year, and had been running at a loss.

An application to convert the building into flats was turned down earlier this year by the Vale of White Horse District Council after a report by an independent consultant said it was still viable as a cinema.

The newly-formed Friends group, which held its first meeting on Saturday, plans to launch its campaign at the town's popular Dickensian Evening on Friday.

Volunteers will be manning a 'Save the Regent' stand to drum up support.

Campaign chairman Tim Weekes said the group's aim was to facilitate the reopening of the cinema based on closer ties with the community.

He added: "We have a large group of volunteers already, including enthusiastic and skilled young people in the town who can help us identify the real need in Wantage for a cinema.

"This could be as a commercial undertaking, or most likely, in cooperation with a new commercial owner."

Deputy mayor Andrew Crawford, who organised and chaired last week's meeting, said: "We need to harness the tremendous enthusiasm of the public meeting.

"If every household in the area contributed £10 before Christmas we would be able to buy a major stake in the cinema lease and present an attractive offer to a new commercial owner."