VILLAGERS in Micheldever have received a double dose of good news after their shop and post office were saved.

New tenants have been found to take over the store in Church Street, while the post office will stay put and keep its existing opening hours.

Micheldever Store and Post Office had been faced with closure after proprietors Bill and Gail Giles left shortly after Christmas.

But a committee of volunteers took over running of the shop, the only one left in the village, in a bid to keep it open.

Micheldever Parish Council helped by approving emergency funding to pay rent and re-stock.

This money will now be repaid by the new tenants Andy and Rula Francis who take over the lease on Saturday.

The couple, who already have a shop in North Waltham, plan to breathe new life into the rundown store.

Brian Cutler, of Micheldever Store Steering Committee, said: "This really is good news. The new tenants have got great plans to buy in new stock and make the shop viable, for example by getting a licence to sell alcohol.

"They also plan to paint the shop."

Villagers heard the news at a packed meeting in the Northbrook Hall to discuss the long-term future of the village shop and post office.

Post office managers Ian Preece and Tim Nicholls outlined plans for the outreach' partner service that means the post office can remain at Micheldever Store.

After April, Post Office Ltd will no longer employ a postmistress to run the service.

But post office chiefs say the service can remain open so long as the village shop provides a trained member of staff to run it.

The planned opening hours are from Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm, and on Saturday between 9am and 1pm.

The only difference is the village post office will no longer handle big parcels of more than two kilos.

Mr Cutler said: "Everyone is very, very pleased.

"It has been nearly two years since we started fighting to save the village store and post office. There were times we almost gave up, but it is worth saving it."

He said villagers would now disband the committee as its job was done, adding: "We have steered it into port. Obviously villagers now have to use the shop and post office and back it 100 per cent."

Mr Cutler paid tribute to Winchester MP Mark Oaten for meeting the southern area manager of Post Office Ltd on behalf of Micheldever.

The Lib Dem MP welcomed the news, saying: "I am very, very pleased for the committee.

"They were absolutely committed in Micheldever to keeping this valued local facility."