TITCHFIELD residents have a bright new focal point to their village, with a £4,000 spruce-up for the village green finally completed.

Village trust members wanted to improve the shabby old patch of grass on the corner of South Street and West Street and were given a generous £3,000 grant from Fareham Borough Council to give it a makeover.

The trust stumped up the rest and got to work designing a pleasant oasis to complement the area.

With freshly laid turf, carefully landscaped flowerbeds, and bollards to frame and protect the space, village trust chairman Brian Evans said the work has changed the look of the village centre.

"I think it's a real asset to the village. The council asked us to design it and choose what we wanted there and told us they would help us with the cost. It looks very nice," he said.

Mr Evans said the old green, about 20m by 30m, was very shabby and people often used it as a car park.

He said: "The green used to be the site of some derelict houses that were pulled down during the war. Up until now it has been very mucky. People drove all over it and ripped the flowerbeds out.

"There is not a bench there yet because in the past when we had one, it was the local meeting point for a group of yobs and was intimidating for people going past. But we might have a bench there in future."

A new village trust information board has also been put up by the green, displaying local news and events.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Fareham, Councillor David Swanbrow and his wife Jane, are due to officially open the green tomorrow, along with Fareham MP Mark Hoban.