A POST office on the edge of collapse has been saved — for now.

Astley Bridge's last remaining post office in Higher Blackburn Road is being brought back from the brink. The branch has been closed for nearly a month after being hit by an armed robbery in July and will finally reopen on August 20, according to a Post Office spokesman.

Resident Helen Gilmore said: "It's absolutely brilliant news, we have had the post office there for a long time. I'm 74 now, I've never known life without it and it was always so busy."

But residents are expressing renewed fears over the long-term fate of the branch.

Suspecting that it might close, more than 200 Astley Bridge locals, along with their local MP, signed a petition to keep the shop open after it began to cutback on services, including business banking and selling large books of stamps.

Bolton North East MP David Crausby also revealed that the branch has been struggling to recruit a permanent postmaster, leaving a temporary leader at the helm.

Although the post office will reopen, customers are concerned that the issues will stay unresolved.

Ms Gilmore added: "If we lost the post office it would be diabolical.

"We've lost so much in Astley Bridge already. I have a car but other people will be really stuck, and my age, who knows how long I'll be able to drive for.

"If people go back to the post office now it's open again, hopefully they will see that people still need it and it will be kept open. We can't be sure what's going to happen but at least something is being done with it."