Brenda Knight has always been close to the post office in Stanton St John - and today she became its final customer.

The 81-year-old, who has lived in the village all her life, bought the last stamp from the branch her family ran for 35 years.

Elsewhere, post offices in Farmoor, Grandpont, Oxford, Wolvercote and Wytham closed today, while branches in Ardington, Childrey and Iffley close tomorrow, leaving six of the doomed 22 in Oxfordshire open. None will be operating by the end of the year.

Mrs Knight, who remembers her aunt retiring in 1970, said the closure marked "the end of an era".

She said: "I feel very unhappy. It was always the centre of the village, where the community could meet and I'm very sad to see it go."

The branch was part of a shop which will continue to be run by Mollie and Dennis Ingrey.

Mrs Ingrey, 53, said: "We are just putting paper up around the windows and taking the sign out.

"Somebody has left a bunch of flowers on the PayPoint so it looks like a grave.

"I do not know if it has completely sunk in. Next Monday, when it has all gone and the Post Office has taken away the computer, it will hit us more.

"I think it will be strange when people come in who have not heard the news and expect to be able to use the post office.

"The pensioners will be worst hit. I think many of them are still in a quandary as to where they will now get their pensions from."

The Ingreys ploughed their life savings into taking over the post office and store eight months ago, and will now use the extra floor space for a delicatessen.

Mrs Ingrey said: "I suppose it is a silver lining in some ways. I think fresh produce is the way forward, but we are going to have to invest money and we no longer have the guaranteed wage packet from the Post Office.

"People in the village have been so supportive and so passionate in trying to keep it open.

"They realise the whole village suffers - and even house prices go down - if you do not have a post office."

She added: "People were coming in out of curiosity, people who did not know we were here before they saw the Oxford Mail stories."

At Oxford's Grandpont Post Office today, Dharmaraj Prasad ended his 20 years as postmaster without a fanfare.

He said: "It is not a happy day so there is nothing to celebrate. We will just be closing quietly and without a fuss."