A post office is to be reopened after a businessman stepped in to save it.

Graham Cain, 53, is leaving his City job to run the Upper Beeding sub-post office which was forced to close when the previous sub-postmaster resigned.

Villagers feared they would lose the service permanently.

Mr Cain handed in his notice at the software company he works for in London and will open for business on November 17.

He will be in charge of the daily running of the branch and his wife Jane, who already works at post offices in Hurstpierpoint and Bolney, will be the registered sub-postmistress.

Mr Cain said: "We are aiming to keep rural post offices open and it is great that we have been given this opportunity.

"We managed to reopen the post office at Bolney after that one had shut and it will be nice to do the same in Upper Beeding."

The last postmaster, who owns the building, withdrew permission for a post office on his premises, which were also being used as a pharmacy.

The parish council found an empty shop in the High Street and Post Office Ltd asked the Cains if they would take it on.

Peter Wilkinson, of Post Office Ltd, said: "The parish council has been very supportive and done everything it can to help us.

"Upper Beeding is a relatively busy branch and it is certainly an area where we'd want to keep a post office, especially as it is a rural branch. Graham and Jane are very experienced post office operators and I'm sure they will do a great job."

John Peake, chairman of Upper Beeding Parish Council, said: "It is terrific news that the post office is reopening and all the parishioners I've spoken to about it are over the moon. Everyone was appalled when they found out the post office was closing and we didn't know if we would get another one. This is a marvellous result, particularly because we have many elderly residents who would have found it hard to get to Steyning."

Ingrid Caygill, parish clerk, added: "Post offices are a real service to the community and no village should be without one.

"We are so glad that ours has turned out to be a success story."