OVER 90 years separated the oldest and youngest customers when Crowcombe Post Office was re-opened on Monday after being rescued from permanent closure.

Ethel Welsher, aged 92, and six-week-old Max Baker were joined by 200 villagers to officially mark the opening ceremony of the store and post office.

Also on hand to assist with the celebrations was Mary Rhodes who is the great granddaughter of the first Crowcombe village shopkeeper Charles Jordan back in 1871.

The event signified a major achievement for the community which defied the odds as other rural village shops closed across the country.

The post office, a much-needed amenity for Crowcombe's 400 residents, shut just over a year ago when postmaster and West Somerset District Council chairman Viv Brewer retired.

Determined villagers joined together to form Crowcombe Village Shop Association - a non profit-making friendly society with private shareholders who have given interest-free loans.

And in just over two months the group donated £15,000 to the new shop and post office.

A key player was local landowner Daphne Trollope-Bellew who generously rented out an old barn to convert into the post office and store.

New postmaster Jo Butterworth said: "We are very grateful for the tremendous support from both the private and public sectors for this project to keep the post office and a shop within the village.

"I am delighted to be able to restore the service and aim to stock as much local distinctive produce as possible to help increase trade and directly support the economy of the surrounding area."

Grants were given by Somerset County Council, West Somerset District Council, Somerset Community Council, the Quantock Hills Joint Advisory Committee and the Regional Development Agency.

Crowcombe Post Office will be open between 9am and 5pm, with a one-hour break at 1pm, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday opening hours are 9am until 1pm and Saturday 9am to 12.30pm.

The usual range of sub-post office services will be available including pension and benefit payments, acceptance of payment for household bills and travel facilities.

Pictured in the foreground are, from the left, Mary Rhodes, Max Baker in the arms of mother Sarah, Jo Butterworth, Ethel Welsher, Harriet Trollope-Bellew and Daphne Trollope-Bellew.

Photo: Steve Guscott.