RESIDENTS in Billington are celebrating their local post office reopening eight months after it shut.

The former post office on Railway View closed in September 2003 when the then sub postmaster resigned to move abroad.

Since then members of the village have worked with Post Office Limited to find a solution.

The Billington Village Store, in Bonny Grass Terrace, has now been converted into a post office. It will continue to operate as a general store, off licence and newsagents and will open from 6am to 9pm ,Monday to Saturday, and from 7am to 1pm and 6-9pm on Sundays.

In addition, from May 17, new sub postmaster Susan Moran will offer a full range of counter services on Mondays and Thursdays from 9am to 5.30pm and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am to 1pm. These will include banking services, travel products and foreign currency.

Rural transfer advisor Andy Wright, said: "I'm sure that, like me, residents will welcome the re-opening of a post office in the village and will support the sub postmaster in her new venture. Our thanks go to Whalley Post Office staff who dealt with a lot of extra work while Billington was temporarily closed."