A POST office that faced closure has been handed a stay of execution.

Cromford post office, which serves about 3,000 people, was going to shut because the owner of the building wanted to put it up for auction.

Campaign group Save Our Post Office was set up last month by residents, who wanted to raise £250,000 to buy the building and keep the service open.

But now an anonymous buyer has bought the building in Scarthin.

Villagers have been told the post office will remain open for the foreseeable future.

Postmistress Carol Easton said residents raised £150,000 in "paper pledges" towards their proposed buy-out before the anonymous buyer stumped up the cash."

The post office serves people in Matlock Bath and nearby Bonsall, as well as people in Cromford.

If it had closed, the customers would have had to travel to Matlock or Wirksworth post offices.