A THRIVING Caribbean-inspired eatery in the heart of Oxford's Blackbird Leys has finished a refurbishment to keep up with demand.

The Communi-tea cafe inside the Church of the Holy Family celebrated its first birthday on April 13 and has just put the finishing touches on a newly-expanded kitchen.

Volunteers will continue to cook up a storm in the new space, which has been moved further into the communal space to give them extra room.

The cafe, off Cuddesdon Way, was set up last year by the church to offer families, students and people working locally a much-needed place to sit down and have lunch.

Vicar the Rev Heather Carter said: "It has been going really, really well, and it has been an enormous surprise how well the cafe has been accepted in the community.

"When we opened I half expected it would be a few church members coming in for coffee, but there are so many people working in the area who come in, and whole families who come in for breakfast and take takeaways home for their dinner. It has gone remarkably well."