A weekly newspaper is celebrating victory in it campaign to raise £10,000 to help a village in Africa install its own water pump and irrigation system.

The Stourbridge News launched its Well of Life appeal in March alongside a local school, to raise the cash for the Gambian village of Sintet.

The campaign was run in conjunction with Ridgewood High School’s annual Project Gambia initiative, and has reached its goal after hundreds of readers donated to the cause.

Now the irrigation system, which has been sat in a German warehouse waiting for the appeal to hit the £10k goal, can be installed.

Pete Wallace, assistant editor of the Stourbridge News, said: “All of us who have been involved in the appeal are over the moon to have been able to reach the target so quickly.

“I would like to thank all the staff and pupils at Ridgewood High School, my staff at the News and the local community whose hard work has really paid off.

“Most of all I want to thank all of you who have donated to the appeal, as we could not have been in this position if it wasn’t for you digging your hands deep into your pockets.

“However, we still have a number of fundraising events left to go and all the money that is raised will go towards upgrading the pump irrigation system and covering any extra costs.”