A tug-of-war competition in Dymock on Sunday raised £1,700 towards new toilets and an extended bar area at The Beauchamp Arms pub.

Organisers, the Friends of the Beauchamp Arms, now have a fighting fund of £8,000.

A meeting later this month will set a time-scale and the likely cost of improvements at the pub, which is owed on behalf of the community by Dymock Parish Council.

The extended bar area, to include a pool table, will use the space currently taken by the existing toilets. The new toilets, to include better disabled access, will go in a currently disused double garage.

Planning permission has already been granted by Forest of Dean District Council and architects have drawn up plans.

Cindy Fowler, treasurer of the Friends, said they were really pleased at the outcome and added that around 250 people turned up to watch on the day.

"We were £200 up on the £1,500 we raised at last year-s tug-of-war competition."

Spectators witnessed pulls between children's teams and women's sides, and the highlight was a showdown between the Beauchamp Arms' squad and Dymock Cricket Club, victors of an earlier competition on Wintours Green.

After an epic tussle, the pub side stole the honours.

Mark Boon, the Friends' chairman said: "This is the third time that the Friends have organised a tug-of-war, and in previous years we hav raised funds for a new porch and guttering at the pub.

"We like to ensure that the Beauchamp Arms remains the hub of our community and the tug-of-war is the focus of a village shindig."

Other attractions included stalls, a bouncy castle and even the chance to learn how to cast a fishing fly.