A FORMER chiropodist is putting her best foot forward to give an ancient Leominster pub a new lease of life.

Mandy Thompson, her husband Alan and daughter Becky, have been given a warm welcome at the Hop Pole Inn.

The tavern, at the corner of Bridge Street and Mill Street, closed suddenly 18 months ago leaving the north side of Leominster 'dry'.

Regulars feared they had lost their 'local' for good as the months slipped by with no sign of a new tenant

Now they are raising their glasses to the Thompsons, who hail from Coventry and are putting life back into one of Leominster's oldest inns.

Darts teams have formed and customers are discovering the otherwise very traditional pub now has a handy modern feature - an internet socket for anyone wanting to bring along their laptop.

"We've always dreamed of having a pub - we love to see people socialising," said Mandy.

6 RIGHT: Mandy and Alan Thompson with daughter Becky. 060905-1