THE power of the community was demonstrated last Friday as superfast broadband was switched on in Northmoor, Moreton and Bablockhythe by David Cameron.

As the Prime Minister and Witney MP remarked, it showed what can be achieved when residents come together.

Villagers frustrated by near-unusable Internet connections came together two years ago to work for a better service, carrying out research into possible solutions and consulting the community.

Now they have some of the fastest Internet links in the country after winning backing from the Government’s Rural Community Broadband Fund and the Oxfordshire-based Internet provider Gigaclear.

Much has been made by Oxfordshire County Council of its plan to connect 90 per cent of the county by next year but there are many rural pockets that will be left out.

West Oxfordshire District Council has pledged £1.6m to plug the gaps and it is hoped we will eventually see complete coverage in the forthcoming years.

Failing that, it may be left to communities to create their own schemes and the Northmoor, Bablockhythe and Moreton Broadband Group has set a fine example of what can be achieved.