Post office with links to Postman Pat may close

The current postmaster wants to retire and sell the building, which would leave the town without a post office

A post office in a town which helped inspire the Postman Pat stories is threatened with closure.

Greendale, the village where Pat delivers his mail, is based on Longsleddale in Cumbria, but author John Cunliffe ran the Wooler mobile library service in Northumberland for many years, and said that experience helped shape the story too.

The retirement of the current postmaster in Wooler, who owns the building, means the town may soon have no post office or bank although the Post Office said it was hopeful there was a solution.

Northumberland councillor Mark Mather, Conservative, said: "It's a real irony that an area which helped create a famous postman is facing a future without a post office."

The market town of Wooler is located in the valley of Glendale and many have linked the name with that of Greendale in the fictional Postman Pat series.

In an interview before he died, the author said Greendale was both Cumbria and Northumberland.

Around 120 people attended a public meeting to discuss the post office's future

"Wooler is just like the world of Postman Pat in many ways," Mr Mather said.

"And the post office is at the heart of that and it's absolutely essential to the community we keep it going, or people are going to have a long journey to Alnwick or Morpeth."

One possible solution is for the charity Glendale Gateway Trust to buy the post office building.

Chief executive Karen Froggatt fears the closure would hit older people hardest.

"We had a public meeting with more than 120 people coming along so we know the community are behind us," she said.

"A number of organisations have already pledged money, but there is currently a shortfall of around £150,000 but I really hope we can raise it but there's still a long way to go."

In a statement, the Post Office said: "Wooler Postmaster, Dougie Grey, has loyally served this community for 32 years and his family for a further 20 years before him.

"Dougie is looking to retire. Now it looks hopeful that there is a solution and Dougie will continue to operate the branch to maintain service for the time being."