CUSTOMERS queued up yesterday as a new post office opened in their village hall.

Part of Craghead Village Hall, near Stanley, County Durham, was converted into a post office after the two nearest outlets closed within a matter of months.

The project was carried out by Craghead Area Partnership, the body charged with regenerating the former colliery village.

Pupils from nearby Bloemfontein Primary School cut a red ribbon to declare the facility open.

The main village post office closed last October, followed by another in Bloemfontein last February.

Since then, Craghead's 4,000 residents have had to make a car or bus journey to the post office in Stanley town centre.

The partnership won £17,000 from the Government's Sub-Post Office Start Up Capital Subsidy Scheme. Post Office Limited also waived the £5,100 fee for an outlet licence.

Village hall manager Mark Davinson said: "The response from people in the village has been great.

"It has taken us 11 months to sort it all out, so we were glad to get started."

The counter will be run as a not-for-profit organisation.

Any surplus cash raised by the venture will go to a charitable trust, which will carry out community projects.

"We think we are the only community-run post office in County Durham, so we hope people will come and support us," said Mr Davinson.

"It will only survive if people use it."