The battle to bring Clewer's Swan pub back to life is gathering momentum - with £132,000 already pledged by the community almost two years after it closed its doors.

The movement to Save Our Swan is driven by Will Calvert, a partner at the Windsor and Eton Brewery and Richard Allen, executive head of the Green Room School in Albert Street.

Their campaign to save the old pub in Mill Lane from developers has already succeeded beyond their hopes.

So far residents have pledged £132,000 towards the target figure of £250,000 and this week Mr Calvert put in a formal bid to owners the Wellington Pub Company.

Mr Calvert said: "What we seem to have unearthed is a great desire for a community hub I think the amount of support and empathy from so many people in the community is quite astounding and will drive us on to do this not as a commercial venture but as a hub for the community.

What is significant is not that we have raised so much money in such a short time but that 120 people in the community have contributed."

He hopes that if the bid is successful the rejuvenated Swan could be more than a pub.

He would like it to become a community hub, a centre for events and for education - with Mr Allen's school utilising the premises at some point.

There are still some hurdles to overcome. The Royal Borough has to agree to turn the site into an Asset of Community Value, which would help safeguard it from development.

Other interested parties are also expected to put in bids - the asking price by the owners is £650,000.

But Mr Calvert is optimistic.

Anyone who would like to make a contribution is invited to visit to theswanwindsor.co.uk