THE closure of a small post office has seen the community pull together and open its own facility.

Port Clarence lost its service in November last year but after people contacted community interest group Know How North East, they managed to get a post office up and running.

Based in the Clarences Community Centre, people will be able to access 75 per cent of the transactions offered at regular post offices, including collecting benefit payments, sending parcels and making cash payments.

To get the scheme operational, the group spent several months planning, market testing and staff training to ensure that it was a viable enterprise.

Paul McGee, director of Know How North East, said: "When the post office closed people were having to travel in to Billingham town centre and that could be a three or four pound round trip on the bus. Now we have this facility on the doorstep, which means that money stays in the community and is spent here.

"The new post office provides 75 per cent of the services of a high street post office and we estimate it is already doing every bit as well as the one it replaced. It's a key part of the community hub that includes a creche, cafe and health centre and a real boost to a community that is rebuilding itself."

The community post office employs four parttime staff.