Residents are calling for action as they are still without their main village post box after it was closed more than a month ago.

The decision to take away the rural lifeline from the centre of Great Finborough, near Stowmarket, has been called “incredibly unsatisfactory” by the area’s district councillor.

There are other post boxes in the village but they are difficult to access for residents without the ability to drive or walk very far.

John Matthissen, district councillor for Onehouse, said: “Over six weeks, without the post box is incredibly unsatisfactory and inconvenient for the old folks without cars.

“There are concerns that the village is really suffering with the loss of services – lost the post office, the shop, the bus service is down to a derisory service and now the post box.

“A few years ago, when building a new estate in Finborough, Gipping Homes were able to keep building homes right through the recession, that shows how popular it is.”

Tina Bell, 65, from Valley Lane, said she had concerns older residents were struggling to get out of the village centre to send their post.

“It is very important to have the post box if you have got something important to post and have not got the means to get into town as the buses are only two-a-week,” she said.

Royal Mail spokeswoman Morag Turnbull said: “The post box in Finborough Road was removed as it was on private property following the closure of the former post office.

“The owner of the property has asked us to remove it and we are obliged to remove boxes under these circumstances.

“We are working to replace the post box as quickly as possible but any new site is subject to underground utility cables and landowner searches.

“Royal Mail apologises to customers for the temporary inconvenience. In the meantime, customers can use any other post box in the area or, of course, drop their mail off at any Post Office branch.”