A determined campaign to restore post office services to a north Suffolk village was finally signed, sealed and delivered this afternoon.

Delighted residents in Wangford, near Lowestoft, eagerly queued up to use the post office outreach service at the village community centre following a three-year campaign to get it reinstated.

Wangford last had an outreach service in June 2009 after its permanent post office branch closed the year before.

After the service closed it prompted a high profile campaign by Wangford with Henham Parish Council which was orchestrated by councillor Pamela Blades.

Without a service, people had to travel into Southwold to use post office services, which presented problems for elderly residents without transport.

Ms Blades and her 82-year-old mother Sheila Rayson were first in the queue to try out the new service.

She said: 'It has been a bit of a long struggle and at some points I did think of giving it up. But I was determined to get a post office back here. I hope other people who have lost their post office can see what has gone on here in Wangford and be encouraged to do the same as we have.'

On seeing the queue of people at the door of the community centre, Sara Farrands, parish council chairman, said: 'It is fantastic. It is the culmination of a long and hard fight to bring back a post office service to the people of the village.'

The new service will run every Tuesday from 10am to noon and Thursdays from 1pm to 3pm, and it will be operated by the sub- postmaster at Saxmundham and Aldeburgh post offices, Peter Anderson.

Mr Anderson, said: 'It is just excellent to be able to provide a service to the village of Wangford.''

The Wangford post office service campaign was supported by Suffolk Coastal MP Dr Therese Coffey who raised the issue with the prime minister.

Dr Coffey said: 'I am absolutely thrilled the service has reopened.

'It is so important that residents of rural communities get access to the post office service.'