A village post office which closed down last month re-opened today.

The branch in the Grimston Post Office Store closed in January after the postmaster resigned, despite a petition signed by 1,000 people.

Today, it re-opened with a temporary subpostmaster behind the counter, who will operate the business until a more permanent solution can be found for the village.

Peter Joyce - proprietor of the village store - said: 'All the customers were really happy about it but the main day will be Monday when they come in for their pensions.

'People have had to travel further afield, it's very inconvenient for people.'

Post Office Ltd spokesman Wendy Hamilton said: 'We are delighted to be able to reopen Grimston Post Office.

'The branch will offer the same wide range of Post Office products and services as before and the opening hours remain unchanged.'

Closure came after union leaders claimed the post office, in Massingham Road, was 'unviable' after Royal Mail bosses moved the village sorting office to King's Lynn - after spending thousands on it.

Announcing the closure, the company said that villagers could use post offices at neighbouring Gayton or Hillington instead. The village store was unaffected by the closure of the post office counter.

Post Office Ltd said it had been working to restore services to Grimston since the postmaster resigned.