THORNBURY FM - the town's embryonic community radio station - showed signs of stirring this week as supporters signed up to be there at the birth.

Around 40 people attended a special meeting to back the idea and pledge their help in turning a dream into reality.

The station is due to go live for its first experimental fortnight of broadcasting from Saturday, November 19. But there's a lot to be done - and a lot of money to be raised - if the deadline is to be met.

Enthusiasm was high amongst all age groups in St Mary Church Hall on Monday, however, as vicar David Primrose stated: "Thornbury's ready for it - and we can do it."

And he emphasised that, although conceived initially by church members, it would not be the church's baby.

"This is not project we want to monopolise," he said. "We are looking for a whole community response."

Volunteers signed on to help with vital areas like management and finance, advertising revenue, promotion and publicity and technical matters.

Others were at the meeting to give their own ideas - - and raise concerns - about programme balance and content and to put down markers on behalf of interest groups.

Enabling group member Peter Crowe said the possibilities were hugely exciting but they had to take care not to overstretch and it was proposed to apply for a Restricted Service Licence permitting broadcasting for up to 28 consecutive days.

"If we broadcast for 18 hours a day for 14 days then we have a target of 252 hours of air time to fill with quality programmes - a big enough challenge to start with." he said.

A second 14-day broadcast was envisaged some time in April next year - at around the time of Thornbury Arts Festival - but only in the longer term would consideration be given to applying for a full time licence, he said.

Technical group member Tim Giles said they were looking at setting up the studio and transmitter at the church hall. Signal stength in Thornbury and Oldbury would be good and the reception area could stretch as far as Chepstow and Lydney.

However, the lie of the land could rule out Cromhall, Tytherington and Olveston and full coverage was also unlikely in Alveston, Falfield and Berkeley.

Mr Primose said after the meeting that he was delighted with the response.

"The enthusiam of the young people was particularly encouraging," he said. "The challenge now is to make sure this project embraces every part of the community."

The Enabling Group will hand over control of the station's development to a formally constituted management committee on April 15 when an inaugural meeting will be held.