An independent bookshop which was left financially reeling by the pandemic has launched a crowdfunding campaign to save the business.

The Book Den opened in the High Street in Hythe back in 2018, with owner Harriett Evans hoping to develop a community hub focused on books for children and young adults.

But successive lockdowns and a decline in footfall, from locals and visitors alike, left the business struggling to stay afloat.

Now Ms Evans, a mum-of-four from Aldington, is hoping to raise £30,000 which she says will secure the future of the book store and allow the business to grow.

"It was an awful time for any business but particularly one that only been open just over a year," the 34-year-old said.

"I started the business to promote the love of reading, to have a specialist children's book store, because I think it's really important that children learn to read from a physical book, not a Kindle or something like that, and really have a nice place in the community for them to shop for books in a real book store.

"The first year was quite successful and then we sort of hit a slippery slope with the pandemic.

"We've asked for the amount that is going to save us and secure us for the future. We need enough so that we can really pull in the community and have the resources for them to be comfortable here."

So far the 'Save The Book Den' crowdfunding effort has raised almost £3,000 from around 100 donors, but that still leaves a long way to go.

Writing on the fundraising page, Harriett said: "We have clung on for dear life, to our dream, but also because we are passionate about books, we feel we are a much needed space to many local people.

"We are the place you can come to if you have no idea what book to read next; that your 7-year-old has a reading ability higher than their age, they want something challenging but the content needs to be age appropriate.

"We are also the ones to come to when your child is feeling a little less than confident when reading! We are here to inspire your child. To help grandparents find books for children, they may not have seen through the pandemic.

"The child that is choosing their first ever new book as they glide through our shelves with sheer delight and excitement. We are there. We know our stuff.

"Our children need a bookstore. A physical store. We need our doors open."

If the cash is successfully raised, Ms Evans plans to carry out repairs to the building, which suffers from damp and leaks, and create a new area for teenage book-lovers to read.

You can donate to the fundraiser here.