The people of Elstead have taken the high ground as they’ve been gifted a local landmark by a Transatlantic well-wisher.

The future of Bonfire Hill looks bright as benefactor Tim Watkin handed the beauty spot to the village on Saturday.

There was an afternoon of celebration with picnics, a scavenger hunt and competitions being followed by the official handover and lighting of the beacon donated by the Rural Life Living Museum.

The site was put up for sale and effectively abandoned by a developer after housing proposals were thwarted by villagers and Elstead Parish Council.

Elstead-born Mr Watkin wanted to give something back to the village and was keen on reviving the “beach” on the Wey from his youth.

But it proved too problematic so when Bonfire Hill became available, he stepped in with the site being handed to an EPC-linked trust to preserve and conserve the landmark.

“The village is built in a big ‘U’ and at the middle is this hill with footpaths crossing it,” said Mr Watkin, who was given a painting of Bonfire Hill by local artist Rick Holmes as a token of the village’s appreciation.

“It was a very important and integral part of village life but stopped being so. Pat Murphy and the parish council pulled together enough interest and committed people to transform the land into what it is today.”

Mr Murphy, who recently stepped down as EPC chairman after 14 years, believes the village will forever be grateful for Tim with contractor Richard Knight and parish clerk Jules Williams also being namechecked in his speech.

He said: “Before Tim bought the land we had a public meeting about what we should do and everyone said we should try and obtain it – we never would have been able to put in an offer on our own.”