THE best post office in the country for dedicated stamp collectors is right here in Swindon.

Laura Brunetti, who has been running the post office on Queen's Drive for 10 years, won the Roland Hill Award for providing excellent service on the philatelic side of running the post office that is keeping her stamp collecting customers happy.

She said: "It's great to get the award. We know we keep our customers happy, we have quite a few loyal ones, but it's always a big surprise when you get something like this.

"I didn't know an awful lot about stamps when I started the job but I learnt everything. I know what appeals to my customers so they keep coming back.

"We've gone out of our way to provide good service to our stamp-collecting customers," she said. "None of the collectors ever miss a first day issue because we prepare them in advance and then send them off for franking with the date that's what makes a set valuable."

She says the best selling stamp sets have been of Princess Diana, the Millennium commemorative stamps and the Golden Jubilee set.

Dan Panes, spokesman for Consignia Royal Mail, said: "There is a clear niche market for stamp collecting and they are catering for that niche. This award recognises that and it will enhance their profile amongst the stamp collectors of the world, and hopefully it will boost business as well."

The Roland Hill Award was set up in 1997, named after person who is thought to be the father of the modern post office. He came up with the idea to pay for postage in advance and base the cost on the weight of the letter.

Laura and her husband Giuliano found out about they had beaten two other finalists from Manchester and Salisbury at a ceremony hosted by Angela Rippon in London.