David Ruffley has reacted to the announcement by the Post Office of the temporary closure of Walsham le Willows Post Office by writing a letter (see below) to Steve Rayner asking what action is in hand to find an immediate replacement.

David said: 'My constituents in Walsham le Willows will be particularly badly hit by this closure. They rely on the local post office and it is not convenient for them to get to Badwell Ash or Stanton. The closure of rural post offices is always a great blow for the local community and I do hope the Post Office will do everything possible to re-open the Walsham le Willows Post Office in the near future.'

Letter to Steve Rayner, Rural Transfer Advisor at the Post Office.

Dear Mr Rayner,

Walsham le Willows Post Office

Thank you for your letter of 9 September advising me of the resignation of the Sub-postmaster at Walsham le Willows.

Can I please urge you to make the most strenuous efforts to publicise the vacancy at that sub-post office as widely as possible. There are many elderly residents in this village in my constituency who depend on a functioning post office in the heart of their community. For them- and indeed for the rest of the population- the Badwell Ash post office and the Stanton branch which you draw my attention to are not convenient. Walsham le Willows needs a replacement sub-postmaster as soon as possible.

Can you therefore let me know what active steps and what advertising you have undertaken to address this problem.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest opportunity.

DAVID RUFFLEY MP