Library campaigners in Cricklewood have beaten the odds and smashed their £113,000 fundraising target thanks to the generosity of the local community.

Friends of Cricklewood Library had until 11.59pm on Monday to raise the money or lose a £40,000 pledge from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

After a campaign they have raised £2,000 more than their target, which will go towards fully refurbishing the library in Olive Road.

Sally Long, of FoCL, said: “It’s all been absolutely terrifying but it just shows how much people care around here.

”Someone put in the last £3,000 which made it go over.”

She said Munro’s Stores kicked off fundraising by setting up a stall outside its store in Temple Road. “A lot of people were determined we were going to make it,” she added.

The library was one of 25 projects chosen to receive funding by Sadiq Khan through his Crowdfund London scheme.

Failure to raise the funds would have meant a loss of all the pledges. The fundraising campaign culminated last week in a festival of comedy, classical music and a community ceilidh.

The branch, built in 1929, was closed by Brent Council alongside five other libraries to save £1miliion in 2011.

The group have fought for six years to retain the library which was demolished last year and rebuilt as a mixed development with a community space on the ground floor.

Campaigners have succeeded in securing a 999 year lease, at a peppercorn rent, on the 2,000 square foot space.

When finished Cricklewood Library will be a community hub lending books, offering ESOL classes, homework clubs, activities for under fives, computer access, creative and craft groups.

The group also hopes to host workshops, dance classes, yoga, and a range of further activities.

Ms Long added: “There’s lots to do. We need to process all the bids then we are going floor to ceiling. It’s a shell at the moment - the walls look nice but there are no wires or plumbing behind them. We really are going to make the most of this money.”

She continued: “This library really is for the people by the people. We’ve done this on our own.

“Now we are going to build a truly inspirational space.”