A POST office targeted by raiders who blew up a cash machine and escaped with thousands of pounds is set to re-open in April.

Bradshaw Post Office in Lee Gate will re-open on Monday, April 25, after being refurbished following the incident in October last year.

Nearby residents were woken up by a large bang in the early hours of the morning after a gas-fuelled blast at the post office, which ripped off the cash machine from its wall.

The branch has been closed since then but is set to re-open with extended opening hours and more modernised services.

A crowdfunding campaign was set up by wellwishers to support office manager Musa Patel and sub-postmaster Fayaz Patel in the wake of the raid.

The post office will be open from 8.30am to 6.30pm from Monday to Friday, and from 8.30am to 6pm on Saturdays, it says will prove to be more convenient for residents.

Bolton North East MP David Crausby said he has been working with the Post Office to help get the branch up and running.

He said: “As many of you will know, the Post Office in Bradshaw has been closed since October last year due to an attempted break-in which caused structural damage to the property.

“I have been in conversation with the Post Office about this over recent months to ensure everything is being done to get the branch back up and running. The branch is a vital service for the community and many residents have been concerned that it may never re-open.”

Bosses say the new branch will offer two open-plan counters in the store, where the Post Office terminals will sit alongside the till.

Services which will be on offer at the post office include special delivery, local collect, home shopping returns, online banking cash deposits and withdrawals.

Customers will also be able to withdraw cash using using a Post Office card account, send funds abroad using Moneygram, pay bills, pre-order travel money, apply for travel insurance and top up mobile phones.

Julie Kemp, post office area manager, said: "We are making it easier for customers to get their cash, send and collect their mail and do their banking because we know how important these services are to local residents.

"We are confident that this vibrant new-style Post Office at the heart of the local community will meet customer needs. This modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and will secure services for the future."