THE team behind the revival of oyster fishing in Porlock Bay have had a frenetic week installing 70 metal trestles along the seafront.

The trestles will host 80,000 part-grown oysters sent down from Scotland and it has been a titanic race to complete the work while the tides were suitable.

Roger Hall of Porlock Bay Oysters said: “We have been overwhelmed by the generosity and support we have received from the local community who have no given us more than £65,000 in loans to support the first few years of the commercial business.”

All those who have invested will be invited to a special launch day at The Café, Porlock Weir on Early Spring Bank Holiday Monday, May 2.

Setting up a commercial business following a successful trial has been enabled by a £75,000 grant from the Power To Change fund, and Porlock Bay Oysters have now employed four part-time workers.

Local establishments including Millers, the Top and Bottom Ship and The Culbone will be celebrating the launch with special oyster dishes on their menus on the day, meanwhile Cost Cutters in Porlock and Budgens at Wheddon Cross will be taking orders from their customers from May 2.

Mr Hall added: “This is the realisation of our objective to provide more local employment and increase local trade and tourism.

“It has been an amazing story of real community enterprise and the re-introduction of part of our local heritage.”

Porlock Bay Oysters are also only one of two Oyster sites in the whole of England and Wales to gain a grade A classification from the Food Standards Agency.