VILLAGERS are being urged to come forward and reopen a post office in their community, after their last one closed following two robberies.Post Office Ltd has announced that it is seeking a new home in which to re-open a post office branch at Little Stonham, near Stowmarket.

VILLAGERS are being urged to come forward and reopen a post office in their community, after their last one closed following two robberies.

Post Office Ltd has announced that it is seeking a new home in which to re-open a post office branch at Little Stonham, near Stowmarket.

The search comes after Colin Buttle closed his village store and post office after the second raid on his shop.

Mr Buttle said he has had enough after two robbers burst into the post office in what police believed was likely to be the same gang which raided the shop a month earlier.

Mr Buttle's daughter Sarah Buttle, a 31-year-old mother, was working in the shop on the A140 during both raids, and since the closure villagers have had to travel to Mendlesham and Stowupland.

A spokeswoman for the Post Office said: “The branch at PO Stores closed in December last year due to circumstance beyond the control of Post Office Ltd. “It was originally hoped that the site would be re-opened, but alternative premises are now being sought.''

Lydia King, Post Office Ltd rural transfer adviser, said: “We apologise to our loyal customers for this turn of events and would like to assure local people that we will now be pulling out all the stops to restore convenient local access to our valued and trusted services at a new location as soon as possible.

“Ideally, we'd urgently like to hear from as many applicants as possible, with suitable premises available, from within the local community.

“That way, we can explore all the possibilities for reopening a branch in Little Stonham as quickly as we can.''

Stonham Parva and Little Stonham parish council chairman Mike Cooper-Reade said villagers would like to have their village their post office back.

He said: “We would like it reopened, it would be a lot easier for pensioners (for example), and villagers would dearly like to have back.''

Anyone interested in opening a post office in the village should contact; Agency Recruitment, Human Resources, Freepost NWW 1675A, Salford, Manchester. M5 9JB. Or call 0845 601 6260.