A POST office which suffered an armed robbery last month is now back open after fears over its future.

Higher Blackburn Road Post Office, the last remaining branch in Astley Bridge, has been closed since July 17 and was due to be reopened on August 20.

After a delay in installing the new temporary postmaster, the shutters were finally lifted on Tuesday.

Fareed Kara, the manager of the branch, said: "We're under new management now, hopefully customers will come in and see some happy staff.

"We want out customers to come back, some of them are elderly and we might be their first contact — we like to give them a warm welcome.

"We're not just here to post a parcel, we're hear to listen to customers and help them. We're really hopeful that this time next week we'll have queues out of the door."

Fears remain over the future of the branch which has seen services slashed in recent months.

Local MP David Crausby launched a petition to keep the store open with more than 200 residents pledging their support.

He said: "We have still got some work to do to secure it and make sure the business is viable. We can't take our eye off the ball, we'll stay on the case."

But Mr Kara says the branch is here to stay: "I can assure the residents in Astley Bridge that Higher Blackburn Road Post Office is going to stay open for a very long time to come."

A Post Office spokesperson said: “We understand how important having a Post Office service is to residents in Higher Blackburn Road and we are delighted that we have been able to reopen the branch.”