VILLAGERS in Limpley Stoke are joining together in a bid to save the village post office and shop from closure.

A Save our Shop campaign has been launched to try and keep the store open when the sub-postmaster, David Dudding and his wife, Agnes, retire.

At a packed public meeting, in the village hall, residents decided to form a steering committee to spearhead their campaign.

Simon Coombe, chairman, said: "I was impressed with the high turnout at the meeting and the strength of support for trying to find a way of maintaining a shop and post office in the village.

"Young and old alike see this enterprise as meeting a vital need in the community and want to keep it."

The business was put on the market about 18 months ago but has so far failed to attract a purchaser.

The premises are being advertised both as a commercial and a residential property but if no commercial buyer is found the post office could be closed down within the next few months.

The committee has set up a fund-raising working group to find out how much money can be raised by different methods.

Questionnaires will shortly be delivered to residents to find out what type of goods and services they would like to see available locally.

The results of these will be presented at an open forum meeting, due to take place on February 11 at 7.30pm in the village hall.