TV star Jonathan Ross’s local library is celebrating a successful first year since being saved by the community.

Hampstead Garden Suburb Community Library in The Market Place, Hampstead Garden Suburb – which was officially opened by the chat show host – was taken over by volunteers a year ago on Wednesday.

It has gone from strength to strength since Barnet Council’s decision to axe it as a council-run service, with around 40 volunteers helping it to open from 10am to 5pm from Tuesdays to Saturdays for a rising membership of 1,100.

Team leader Jeremy Clynes, who also runs the website, produces a newsletter and mans the front desk, said: “We hope everyone of all ages in the Suburb and beyond, who lives within reach of us, will come and join and support us so that this community library can stay open for many years to come.”

The library has maintained its link with the central Barnet service, unlike similar community-run libraries in Camden, which have been cut off.

Mr Clynes said all the hard work has been quite a challenge for volunteers, but added: “They enjoy the face to face contact with the public.”

, particularly when very young children come in to use this library for the very first time, hopefully building up a lifetime habit for the future. They say that just watching their faces makes keeping the library open worthwhile.”

Hampstead Garden Suburb resident Jonathan Ross cut the ribbon at the official opening on June 28 last year.