POSTAL services in west Dorset buildings have been axed and replaced with a Post Office in a van.

In Charmouth, outreach postal services in two locations will be replaced later this month with a new mobile post office.

The outreach post services, which are based at Charmouth Library and The Holland Rooms in Bridge Road on two different days, will be replaced by a new mobile service on one day.

The new van will operate outside Charmouth Community Centre on Lower Sea Lane, on Thursdays, between, 11.30am and 4pm.

Currently the post office operates from 10am until 3pm on Mondays out of The Holland Rooms and from 10.15am until 3.15pm on Thursdays.

The change will start from the week commencing, Monday, November 20, along with several other changes to some other west Dorset villages.

Charmouth Parish Council welcomed the news that a postal service will continue in the village, despite being ‘sorry’ to lose the current service.

A spokesperson said: “Although the parish council is sorry that the current service will not be continuing, it is pleased that the mobile unit will continue to provide a post office service to Charmouth parishioners moving forward.”

The Post Office is keen to make the changes as soon as possible but is looking for feedback from customers regarding the changes.

A Post Office spokesperson said: “We are keen to restore services to this community as soon as possible, so we have decided to go ahead with our plans.

“Feedback can be given on locations and how easy it is to get there and any comments on the opening hours until 1 December.

“Customers can share their views during the consultation online at postofficeviews.co.uk with the branch code 432549.”

There will also be some minor changes to the existing outreach services at Mosterton, Broadwindsor and Thorncombe, which will now also operate from a mobile vehicle.

In Broadwindsor, the post office will move from the Old Comrades Hall to the car park of the village hall and has changed days.

It will now operate from 12.15pm to 1.15pm on Mondays and 9.15am to 10.45 am on Thursdays, which is a change from 10am until 12.30pm on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The service in Mosterton will operate out of the village hall car park from 1.45pm to 2.45pm on Mondays - a whole two hours shorter than before.

In Thorncombe, the post office will move from Chard Street to the village shop and will now only be available from 9.15am to 11.45am on Tuesdays instead of 10am until 12pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.

To accommodate the above changes, the current opening hours at Uploders outreach post office service will change from Tuesday to Wednesday and will now operate between 1pm and 2.30pm.

Customer submissions regarding the changes can also be made via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk, by post to Freepost YOUR COMMENTS, or by telephone 03452 66 01 15 or textphone 03457 22 33 55.