KIND hearted residents in Exbourne and Monkokehampton are doing a really 'souper' job when it comes to showing true community spirit in times of adversity.

With snow and ice making it difficult for people to venture outdoors to even get basic food items, a group of villagers banded together to provide free, hot soup for elderly residents.

Sally Hordern, of the community shop at Exbourne, has been making the vegetable soup along with her husband Hugh and volunteers, so that the elderly in the village can have a cup of winter cheer.

Despite the weather they have been delivering the soup along with helpers Ian Brooker and Claire Kelly.

Sally told the Times: 'Those people we have taken the soup to have been absolutely delighted and ask can we please have some more tomorrow?

'But its not just us — there are many other local people just going about quietly at this time, who pop in to check on others, especially the elderly and infirm, to make sure they have things like milk and bread and say hello.'

When Sally was looking for vegetables to put in her soup she contacted Stephen and Lisa Attfield, of Moon Farm at Monkokehampton — they supply organic vegetables and eggs from their 25-acre bio dynamic farm to shops, pubs, restaurants and other businesses to places such as Winkleigh, Okehampton, North Tawton. Chagford, Dolton, Moretonhampstead and South Zeal among others.

When he heard what Sally was doing he immediately offered to donate the veg free of charge.

Stephen's wife Lisa said: 'We have a 4x4 so Steve managed to deliver it to Sally in Exbourne.

'We are more than happy to help people in the community, especially the elderly, at times like this. Sally and her team are doing such a marvellous job.

'It has been minus 14 degrees Centrigrade here, very cold, so this is something we thought we could do for our community.

'Local businesses, like us, depend on the local community so this is our way of giving just a little back — it's just the farming spirit at times like this to help each other out; that is so important in our community.'

Stephen and Lisa, who have a Moon Farm stall every third Saturday of the month at Okehampton Farmers' Market, were determined not to give in to the 'big freeze' and continue to supply their customers with their vegetable boxes.

Sally added: 'We are so grateful to Steve and Lisa for their very generous gesture.'

No doubt a few grateful residents will agree and raise a mug of hot vegetable soup to all involved in this spontaneous community project. '