Villagers have raised more than £260,000 to buy their local pub, made famous by a TV show.

The figure of £260,300 was announced this month in the fundraising campaign to purchase the Swan on the Green in West Peckham, Tonbridge and Malling.

The departing landlord had given the community the opportunity to buy the pub to stop it being turned into housing.

The latest sum, from global pledges, was announced on the locals’ website for The Swan Community Project.

Kent Online has contacted the group to find out how close this brings them to an outright purchase.

Gordon Milligan, present owner of the Swan on the Green, is looking to sell up and when he offered the villagers a chance a steering group was set up to co-ordinate a purchase.

The locals asked for pledges of support with minimum offers of £250.

Their website explained: “As the only full-time provider of hospitality, food and drinks for several miles the pub brings money into the local economy, supporting local businesses and tourism.

“It’s also a major employer in the parish, providing five full-time jobs and the first work experience for many younger members of the community.

“You may have noticed how many pubs are slowly and quietly disappearing from the local villages? We have, so when we heard we might be able to buy the Swan we decided to do something about it.

“To finance the project we are applying for government grants and plan to launch a Community Share Offer early in 2024.”

The pub, which dates from 1526, was temporarily renamed the Hare and Hounds when it was used for the 2021 filming of The Larkins starring Bradley Walsh.

This comedy-drama was a second TV show based on the 1958 book The Darling Buds of May.

The first, with the same title as the book, was mainly filmed in Pluckley and starred David Jason.

That was shown from 1991 to 1993 and made Catherine Zeta-Jones a household name.