VILLAGERS who have been without a post box for the past two years have said they are delighted it has finally been replaced.

Residents of Old Marston saw their old post box removed two years ago after it was damaged during building work to convert the old post office into houses.

Retired villager, Roy Garner, who is also the clerk of the parish council, said: "When the development started, the builders put scaffolding up around the post box to protect it.

"Somehow they managed to knock the top off of it, then they eventually knocked it off its foundations.

"That's when Royal Mail said 'Sorry we can't empty this, it's too dangerous.'"

Assurances were made at the time to the villagers that a replacement box would be installed once the construction work was complete.

In a letter to villagers, Royal Mail planning and support manager Stuart Fairbairn, said: "Please be assured that it is our intention to replace the box and return it to service at the earliest possible opportunity."

But when construction work finished and a new postbox failed to appear, villagers decided to contact Royal Mail and chase it up. Old Marston resident Jan Sanders, 68, said: "I and a few other women in the village decided to write to Royal Mail and complain about the post box, but we were told that they wouldn't be replacing it.

"They said that the location of the post box was within the prescribed distance of other post boxes in the area."

It was only when Mr Garner was able to produce the original letter from Royal Mail and contact the person he spoke to two years ago, that anything happened.

He said: "Thankfully I had kept hold of the letter. But if I hadn't we would have to be making a long walk to the nearest post box."

Much to the delight of fellow Old Marston resident Dr Mercy Heatley, 85, who lives opposite the post box. She said: "I'm so pleased to have it back. I send a lot of post and it makes it so much easier for me."

Royal Mail spokesman Richard Hall said that they were delighted to be able to restore the service to the village.

He said: "A commitment was given at the time to replace the post box and Royal Mail has stuck to it."