VILLAGERS near Pershore are to lose their post office despite a couple's offer to run it.

Roy and Kim Summers want to run a branch from their home in Cropthorne, but their plans were rejected last week.

It means the village will have no service when the current sub-postmaster and postmistress retire at the end of September.

The nearest branches will be in Pershore and Evesham, around three miles in each direction.

Residents reacted with dismay after Wychavon District Council's planning committee turned down the Summers' plans for a ground-floor extension to their home in Middle Lane. The front garden was to be turned into a four-space car park.

A parish council survey earlier this year revealed 100 per cent of respondents in favour of a shop.

Eighty-two per cent favoured Middle Lane as the location, with 13 per cent against. A petition raised 139 names in support of the Summers.

The council's planning department dismissed the idea as "preposterous", estimating 200 vehicle movements a day down the lane.

Planning officers said on-street parking already reduced Middle Lane to a one-track road.

Concern was also raised about traffic levels and primary school children walking to catch the bus in Main Street.

"This is a very sad decision for the elderly people of this village," said pensioner John Orchard, aged 78.

"I've heard one elderly gentleman who has lived here all his life will have to move out because there will be no shop at all.

"When the post offices at Charlton and Fladbury closed down they couldn't get anyone to come forward to run them.

"Now they have two people willing to run a service for the village and it's turned down. It's very, very sad."

Mr Orchard said Mr and Mrs Summers' shop would have included a delivery service for pensioners and seven days per week, as opposed to the current post office, which opens for five-and-a-half days.

He added: "The planning committee's decision smacks of double standards. They talk about congestion, but approved a light industrial estate for Cropthorne."

Mrs Summers said no decision had been made on whether to appeal the decision, passed last Thursday.

"We're very disappointed. This is going to have a big impact on the village," she said.

"When people go to the village shop and post office, it's the heart of the community and it will be missed."