A village post office in Ryedale has won the right to keep its National Lottery terminal after the community rallied round.

Ian Hughes celebrates after being told he can keep the National Lottery terminal at his Terrington post office and store.

Terrington's postmistress, Kate Hughes, heard that Post Office Counters was considering removing the terminal since it was earning less than £2,000 a week.

Not only is the ability to sell Lottery tickets useful to the general business of the village shop, it is the only pay-out office for major prizes in central Ryedale.

Other pay-out centres are located at Rillington and Filey, with a new one at Pickering.

Now, after lobbying by Simon Howard, of Castle Howard, Ryedale's Tory MP John Greenway and Terrington Parish Council, Post

Office Counters has relented and said the village can keep its Lottery outlet for the time being.

In a letter to Mrs Hughes, Don Grey, regional general manager of Post Office Counters, states: "Although no further review of the network is planned by POCL before the renewal of the Lottery licence in 2001, we cannot guaranteeCamelot will not look to rationalise their whole network at any time in the future."

Mrs Hughes's husband, Ian, said: "We are grateful to Post Office Counters for leaving us alone and for everyone for taking up the cudgel.

"In particular, John Greenway wrote several letters and, credit where credit's due, it shows what a good constituency MP he is."

see COMMENT 'Just the ticket'

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