A UNIQUE post office - run by the villagers who will use it - has been officially opened by Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh.

While villages across Britain have been losing their sub-post offices, residents of Stillington, in Ryedale, got together to save their facility.

They formed a community association to run the post office as a co-operative, and the association formally took over the business on Saturday.

Miss McIntosh said rural post offices provided a vital service and it was always a great loss when they shut.

"I was therefore delighted to be able to help and support the residents of Stillington in their innovative plan to create this country's first community-owned post office.

"It is really heart-warming to see such strong community spirit and that this spirit, coupled with great dedication and hard work, has had such wonderful results."

Christine Cookman, a spokeswoman for Stillington Post Office, said: "Since the village became aware of the danger of losing the post office it has made people realise what services we provide. The interest is certainly there and we are hoping to sustain it. We certainly had a large queue this morning."

A £10 share in the post office can be bought from the Community Association, but any profits will go back into the business, rather than into dividends for the shareholders.

Updated: 10:51 Monday, September 08, 2003