A historic Maple Cross barn will cost in the region of £300,000 to restore and project leaders hope to finish it by the end of the summer.

The Woodoaks Association split from environmental group Groundwork South in October last year.

The pair were due to work together on redevelopment plans for the Black Barn, in Denham Way, and Sally Findlay, owner of Woodoaks Farm, previously told the Watford Observer: "If we run it, we can keep the money it makes, but if they ran it, we would not get anything."

But the association has now come up with a number of fundraising events to raise cash for restoration of the popular barn and they hope the Black Barn will be "at the centre of the community".

The group will be holding a summer festival in July and a zombie event where people will dress up as zombies and run around the nearby woods in October.

Eve Howard, director of Woodoaks Association, said the team are "looking at £300,000" for the project and said it was "a massive shame" the farm will lose a fifth of its land, which will now be the permanent site for The Reach Free School.

She said: "Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do so we are trying to make the most out of what we can do.

"We are doing what we can to promote the farm and keep it going.

"At the summer festival last year, we had more than 1,000 cars come through onto the farm and we are aiming at pretty much every age. That is one thing we want to do to boost the company.

"When the barn is up and running, there will be painting and art groups and a cafe. We just want to make it as accessible for the community as possible.

"People can come along and they can learn about the history of the farm. There are so many things to do and see".