A PEARL of a project means oysters are officially back on the menu in Porlock.

After four years of hard work, Porlock Bay Oysters had its official launch day on Bank Holiday Monday.

More than 150 people attended the event at The Cafe on Porlock Weir and enjoyed the 400 oysters the team had prepared.

"The day could not have gone any better. We had a great turnout and it just goes to show the amazing community support we have had behind this project, we can scarcely believe it ourselves," said Roger Hall of Porlock Bay Oysters.

The company has set up as a commercial business following a successful trial enabled by a £75,000 grant from the Power to ChangeSetting up the commercial business after our successful trial has been enabled by a £75,000 grant from the Power To Change Fund.

Local establishments, including Millers, the Top and Bottom Ship and The Culbone also celebrated the launch with oyster dishes on their menus on the day.

"We have been working to get this up and running for the past four years so to see it launched officially is just tremendous," Mr Hall said.

"It has taken a lot of hard work and has been a complicated business to set up, but it is great to see people enjoying our product and seeing our van with the logo on the side setting off to make the first deliveries."

As well as boosting the profile of Porlock, the aim of the project was to bring some extra employment into the village and to that end there are now six part-time workers looking after the business on a day-to-day basis.

"We need to say a massive thank you to the people in the local community who have loaned us money. They have helped us exceed our £65,000 target, and without them none of this would be possible.," Mr Hall said.

"It is a community project and we have been overwhelmed by the emphatic backing we have received."