People in a Norfolk village are battling to save its post office.

Hethersett Post Office shut on January 13 with the retirement of postmaster Kevin Salmon who had run the office in Oak Square for 10 years.

Now Hethersett Parish Council is leading the fight to provide the village with an alternative venue for a permanent office.

Chairman of the parish council Adrienne Quinlan said: “The parish council has been in correspondence with Post Office Counters Limited since November 2020 in an attempt to retain a post office within the village.

"We can confirm that one interested party remains in discussions and we are working with Norfolk County Council and Post Office Counters to secure temporary accommodation in order for a Pop Up Post Office to operate in the village.

"We just hope that the long-term future of the post office can be safeguarded.”

The latest parish council meeting heard that staff were available to provide a pop-up service but a suitable venue had not been found.

The existing venue has not had its lease renewed. In a letter to customers, the Post Office said: “We are writing to inform you that regrettably following the resignation of the postmaster and the withdrawal of the premises for Post Office use, the above branch will be closing.

“We would like to assure you that we are currently investigating the options available which will enable us to re-instate a post office service to the local community.”

At the parish council meeting, councillors agreed to send a letter to Mr Salmon thanking him for his decade of service and commitment to Hethersett. Thanks were also expressed to the Keeley and Emery families who had run a post office for over 40 years before Mr Salmon took over.

Residents have taken to social media to voice their concerns about the possibility of losing a post office in the light of additional development within the village. The identity of the person or persons interested in taking over a post office has not been divulged.