Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Some 250 fans of a book store in Britain formed a human chain to help transport the shop's thousands of books to a new location down the street.

A rent increase forced the owners of October Books to move locations in Southampton. They used a crowd funding campaign and loans to buy a former bank location about 500 feet down the street for $400,000.


The human chain of volunteers gathered Sunday to hand the books little by little until they reached the new destination.

"It was a tremendous show of support and community and we're moved and incredibly touched by it. We are of, and for, our community and it is truly heartening to see that reciprocated," Clare Diaper, a worker at the shop, told The Guardian.

Some volunteers brought cups of tea to those participating, others walking by stopped to help out.

"There's been people who've been visiting us and buying books from us for 40 years" another employee, Amy Brown, told NPR. "So a lot of people feel quite invested in it as a thing."