AN established Oxenhope venue is looking to attract even more members of the wider public by laying on a series of events open to all this spring.

Oxenhope Social Club, in Watson Close – known locally as "The Idiot Hut" due to the building's quirky history – also now has a new steward.

Emma Burton, 41, who has lived in the village all her life, was appointed to the fulltime role two weeks ago.

She was previously a care assistant and before that worked as a barmaid. She has been a member of the club for about five years.

"We want to make it into a vibrant place that has lots of local support from members and non-members," she said.

"We're staging a range of activities here to bring in people from all walks of life. We're trying to accommodate everything to make it a place that people really want to come to."

Mrs Burton said the Lowertown property has recently benefited from repair works to part of its ceiling, to help extend its life.

The unusual building began life as a Methodist chapel in Nelson, Lancashire.

However, in the 1930s, a group of mill workers and farmers pooled their resources to buy it, travelled to Nelson, then brought the building to Oxenhope piece by piece via horse and cart.

The property was then re-constructed in Lowertown.

The next public event at the social club, which is 80-years-old this year, is on Tuesday March 28.

Local historian and author Steve Wood will present a slide show called "Photographs of Oxenhope Past and Present".

Anyone with good quality images that can be included in this presentation should contact Roger Smales on 01535 644292 or e-mail roger@smales.org.uk

Submitted pictures should ideally be high resolution scans of photographs taken up until the 1970s.

The slide show evening will begin at 7pm and entry is free. Food and drink will be available and non-members are welcome.

On April 16 the club will host a kids Easter disco from 3pm to 6pm. It will include Easter bonnet making, an Easter Egg Hunt, then a quiz for the adults in the evening.

On April 22 there will be a 24 hour snooker challenge at the club in aid of Sue Ryder Manorlands.

Oxenhope resident Rick Anderton will aim to play snooker continually from 11am on the Saturday till 11am the following day. The bar will operate during normal opening hours.

For this year's St George's Day, on Sunday April 23, the club will host a celebration event from noon onwards, which should feature a barbecue, quiz and disco.