A VILLAGE that lost its shop and post office is to get a new one thanks to the initiative of its residents.

A group of the 400 residents of Leavening, near Malton, carried out a survey among villagers and people living in nearby communities to find the potential demand.

Now a public meeting is to be held at Leavening school on Wednesday, at 7.30pm to discuss a plan to buy a bungalow in the village, which would be converted into the shop.

The original plan had been to buy the former Methodist chapel, but it fell through.

In addition to being a store, the property could also incorporate a post office, acting as a satellite to those at Welburn and Westow.

The villagers' enthusiasm for the venture has been backed by Defra, the Government's rural affairs ministry, which villagers hope will help financially, and Virsa, the national village shop support organisation.