WOOTTON Bassett Post Office has been voted the number one for customer service in a national competition.

Customer Karen Tapper nominated the High Street post office for the customer award in May this year.

In her letter to the nominations board, Mrs Tapper said: "I visit the post office with my company's outgoing mail every day. All the staff are very helpful and nothing is too much trouble for them.

"We are all on first name terms and we always have time to chat about our day and the weather."

Mrs Tapper also said she found the staff's attitude encouraging in the face of hectic post deadlines for urgent mail.

She said: "The staff are always very happy to help and always makes sure the postman leaves with my extra mail."

Mrs Tapper, who no longer works in Wootton Bassett, said she was concerned by news that post offices across the country would be closing.

She added: "Wootton Bassett Post Office appears to be going from strength to strength.

"We have a very close-knit community here and the post office seems to be a central place for that community spirit to continue for many years to come."

Wootton Bassett Post Office manager Sanjay Soni said he was delighted that it had beaten off thousands of other stores to be crowned one of five winners from across the UK.

He said: "Karen was a very good customer to us and we always had time to talk.

"We are very pleased and proud to have this award as all the staff work very hard to see the customers happy.

"We have a certificate on our wall now and have been talking about it when people come into the shop."

Mr Soni, who has worked at the post office for five years, employs five part-time staff at the store, including his wife Neelam.

He said: "We are a family post office and always try to keep the customers happy. We are honoured to get the award and thank Karen Tapper for her kind nomination."