RESIDENTS who have reserved their new homes in the Ryfields retirement village have been enjoying a series of social events and getting to know their new neighbours.

More than 40 people have gathered at wine and cheese evenings to meet other like-minded pensioners and discuss the progression of the development.

Stanley and Brenda Lyons, from Stockton Heath, are one couple who have already reserved a second floor flat in the village and have been attending the regular meetings for updates on the project.

Stanley said: "When we go to the meetings we don't want to leave we get so excited about the prospect of living in the village. We had been talking about moving anyway, but when we visited Berryhill village in Stoke we made the decision.

"Security is a big factor all your worries are taken away from you, everything is taken care of. Before we'd heard of the village we felt we had nothing to look forward to, now our lives are just beginning."

Extracare's assistant director Angela Bradford said: "People moving into the village will want to understand as much as possible about their new home before they make a commitment and rightly so.

"We don't want to provide 'quick fix' answers many of the decisions surrounding the development of a new community are complex and should be taken by the residents themselves. These meetings are a good forum that help us all move forward together." More than 50 people have now put down deposits to rent a property in the new village.